Out Of Darkness
by SpiritedQuill
Summary: Blaine and Elliott have been best friends ever since they were turned in 1814, but Blaine wants more than what his friends can give him. He wants change. He wants an escape from the numbness. But most of all, he wants to feel alive again. Vampire!AU. Human!Kurt. Vampire!Kurt&Elliott. Warnings for mentions of attacks and a bit of gore.
1. Humans and Monsters

Chapter 1: Humans And Monsters

* * *

_The poison flooded through his veins—contaminating, excruciating, and changing— as he convulsed, choked, and screamed in pain. He heard laughter in the distance as he was left alone to die—no, not to die; that would be merciful compared to this. He cried out but no one could hear him as he shook violently on the cold, hard ground of the alleyway. He felt one more searing pain shoot through every inch of his body until it reached his chest and he blacked out, gratefully sinking out of consciousness. _

Blaine wakes up with a gasp, clutching tightly to the sheets of his small bed. He takes a deep breath to calm himself. It's been a while since he's indulged in sleeping, and he now remembers why he stopped. The nightmares. They always come, even after so many years, and he can never quite get over the terror of the night he was bitten.

With a sigh, Blaine sinks back into his blankets and stares at the ceiling. It can get really boring never having to sleep.

He startles when he hears his bedroom door open, looking over to see Elliott standing there and watching Blaine worriedly. Blaine immediately starts apologizing. "I'm sorry—I was trying to sleep again—I forgot—"

"It's fine," he says, smiling reassuringly. Blaine relaxes a little. "I get the nightmares, too. That's why I don't sleep anymore."

Blaine nods. "I guess I just forgot how bad they were. I thought I could handle it but it's—"

"I know," Elliott says and Blaine smiles. "I think I know just what you need."

"Elliott," Blaine warns, frowning. "I told you, I can't—"

"It's not that," he says. "I get it, especially after seeing exactly what Justin and Alec can do. I'm trying to stop, myself, so don't worry." Blaine nods, but he's still confused. It must show on his face because Elliott smiles and turns on the light, making Blaine wince. "Get up. We're going for a walk and I'm taking you out to have some real fun."

Elliott throws his jacket at him—not that he needs it, but it's the middle of December in New York City; it would look a little suspicious if he walked around in shorts and a t-shirt all the time—and Blaine laughs, following his best friend out the door and into the city streets.

"Tonight, the city is ours, my friend," Elliott tells him, throwing an arm over Blaine's shoulders easily. Blaine grins at him and thinks that, for the first time in years, he might actually have some fun.

* * *

Elliott says they're about five minutes away from wherever he's taking them when Blaine hears a shout from nearby. On instinct, he dashes towards the sound, ignoring Elliott's warnings to come back. "_Blaine! _People will see you!"

Blaine rounds the corner and gasps a little. A man is being mugged by three taller, bulkier men who keep shoving him back and forth like a game of hot potato. "Hey!" Blaine shouts without thinking. It's not like they can hurt him, but he does try to stay somewhat inconspicuous. Two of the guys look his way while the third is still trying to snatch his victim's coat and wallet. "Leave him alone!" Blaine snaps before moving forward. He shoves the two guys out of the way—not enough to actually hurt them, but just to let them know he isn't going to be shoved around. This catches the third's attention and he finally lets the man fall to the ground before turning to Blaine.

"Mr. Tough Guy trying to save little Miss Helpless over here," he laughs, clearly drunk. Blaine scowls and lunges forward, shoving the man backwards into the wall just hard enough to knock him out for a bit. He's had centuries of practice to learn how to hurt without killing or maiming.

Blaine turns his attention to the stranger sitting on the ground against the wall, trembling as he pulls his coat tighter around himself. "Are you cold?" Blaine asks. The man nods and Blaine instantly sheds his jacket, handing it over. The blue-eyed stranger eyes him carefully before taking the offering.

"Thank you," he whispers.

"Do you—uh, can I walk you home or something? You seem… shaken up, I guess."

The man nods, tentatively accepting Blaine's hand and using it to pull himself up. "W-What's your name?"

"Blaine," he says with a smile.

The man just nods again and doesn't say anything. He leads the way as Blaine walks him back to his apartment. Then they stand outside the door awkwardly. "Umm…" Blaine says.

"Thank you for saving me," he says with a genuine smile.

Blaine shrugs, smiling as well. "Anyone would've done it."

"No, most people would've turned and walked the other way to avoid trouble," he says and Blaine's smile fades a little. Sadly, he knows this all too well. "Anyway, I should get inside. My roommate is probably worried."

"Can I at least get your name?" Blaine asks hopefully.

The stranger laughs, his eyes sparkling. "Maybe next time. I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other around."

Blaine deflates a little, trying not to pout. "Okay. Well… Until next time, I suppose."

"Until next time," he agrees, smiling before disappearing into his loft apartment.

Blaine sighs and walks downstairs, gasping when Elliott suddenly joins his stride from behind. He still hasn't gotten used to just how stealthy his best friend is. "Geez, Ell, warn a guy," he says with an exasperated laugh.

Elliott doesn't return the laugh like he normally would. Instead he glares at Blaine. "You better not fall for him."

"Ell, I—"

"_No_. He's a _human_, Blaine," he hisses, lowering his voice in the crowded sidewalks. "If you lose control and hurt him—"

"It's been two hundred years, Elliott," Blaine snaps. "I can control it. Not that it matters because I'm _not _going to fall for him. Stop pretending to be my parent. We're the same age; we were turned on the very same night, even! Trust me; I just want to be his friend. You know how long it's been since I've had friends other than you and Bailey? It's been seventy-five years, Elliott. That's too long to be spent in that lonely apartment eating nothing but whatever you bring home."

"Fine, I get it," Elliott sighs. "Just… please be careful. We both remember what happened with me and Jes."

"I know," Blaine nods. "I'm not going to hurt him. We aren't Newborns anymore. I can control myself and so can you."

Elliott nods, still not entirely comfortable with it. "Fine. I trust you. Like I said, just be careful."

Blaine smiles a little. "I will." He knows Elliott cares about him. He knows he's only trying to protect Blaine from the same kind of heartache and regret that Elliott still suffers from despite the one hundred fifty years that have passed since the incident with Jes, Elliott's love and almost-fiancé.

They walk home together in silence. It isn't a feeding night, even for Elliott, so they plop down on the couch as soon as they get home, turning on the TV to find some background noise.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did end up falling for him," Elliott whispers after a while, his tired eyes trained on the TV without actually watching. Blaine looks over at him, waiting for him to continue. He sees rather than hears Elliott let out a quiet, shuddering breath. "I couldn't help it with Jes. It just… happened. I knew it was a bad idea but I didn't care. And I knew I couldn't hide the secret from him forever but it didn't feel like it mattered as long as I could have him. Then he proposed and…" Elliott closes his eyes, pausing for a moment. "That night, I just lost control. We were… _celebrating_," he says with a humorless laugh. "And he got too close and he smelled so good and… I bit him. I heard him screaming but it was like I wasn't _me. _And I couldn't _stop_. I didn't stop… until it was too late for him to even turn. I like to think that a part of me was trying to save him, because who would want to live like this? But the truth is I couldn't control this… this _hunger_, this _monster _inside me."

"Does that happen every time?" Blaine asks quietly.

Elliott finally looks at him, confused. "What?"

"The… the thing where you feel like it isn't you," Blaine clarifies. Elliott considers it for a moment before nodding.

"Why?"

"I just… I never want to feel like that," Blaine says. "I might be a monster, but I'm not going to lose myself. If I become just like any other monster like Alec, not caring who I'm hurting or how, then I might as well have just died in that alley two hundred years ago. I don't want to become so numb that I just don't care about anything but hunting."

Elliott nods. "I get that. That's why I'm trying to stop. It's a good thing we know Bailey, huh?"

Blaine laughs a little, smiling. "Yeah. I'd probably starve if she didn't steal pints of O-negative from the hospital for me a couple nights a week. Especially now that you aren't bringing home very much nowadays."

"Like I said, I'm trying to quit," Elliott says with a smile. "It just doesn't kill the urge as much when it isn't fresh."

Blaine frowns and Elliott drops the subject. He knows Blaine is uncomfortable with him hunting, even if it doesn't happen as often as it used to.

After that, they go to their own rooms. Blaine lies on his back in the middle of his bed, staring up at his ceiling and trying to make a maze out of the random patterns in the unevenly-painted wood. He doesn't mean to, but he falls asleep again, slipping into the familiar nightmare.

_It was 1814 when Blaine's life changed forever. It was a cold December night in New York. The war with the British had just come to a close and Blaine had just come from a Christmas party that was duly an event to celebrate the stalemate between the two nations. _

_Blaine was walking home, hands stuffed in his coat pockets to keep out the biting chill of the winter air, and he decided to take a short cut just to get out of the cold a little bit faster. He turned to cut through a long alleyway that would save him the trouble of walking at least five blocks. Just before he could reach the exit and return to the main street, he felt a rough and strong hand grip his wrist, yanking him back. He gasped and before he knew it, he was being pressed against the wall, warm breath tickling his nose. _

_"Good evening, handsome," the man holding him captive said with a sly grin. The rest of his face was obscured in the darkness, but Blaine could plainly see his mouth. He could see the way his teeth glinted in the moonlight, and was he just imagining things or were the man's canine teeth growing sharper at the edges? He shook his head, heart pounding. _

_"P-Please, get off of me, sir," he asked. "I was just walking home." _

_"But you seem so lonely," the man cooed. "And a pretty face like yours shouldn't be alone."_

_Blaine tried to push the man away from him but then he felt warm breath on his neck. Before he could even register that the man had moved he felt the man biting him. Hard. Then Blaine was screaming. Screaming, crying, and grunting as he was shoved roughly to the ground. "P-P-Plea…" was all he could mutter before he screamed in pain again. _

_"See you later, sweetheart," the stranger laughed, kneeling down in a flash of light and sinking his teeth into each of Blaine's wrists and the other side of his neck. Blaine let out a scream of pure agony, but it was muffled a split second later by the stranger tying a handkerchief painfully tight around his face. "It was a pleasure. You'll thank me later, I assure you."_

Blaine bolts up in his bed, hand flying to his mouth to muffle his scream. He can almost feel the poison racing through his veins and sending stabbing needles and liquid fire throughout his convulsing body. He can hear the echo of the terrible stranger's laugh and his gravelly voice.

"Elliott," he says brokenly. Elliott's at his bedside in mere seconds, wrapping him up in his arms until he settles down. "I didn't mean to sleep… That was the worst it's been since the first few days after I turned."

"Shh, it's okay," Elliott says, soothing his shaken friend. "It's okay."

Maybe it could be a good idea for Blaine to make more friends. He needs _something _to occupy his time; his thoughts, his dreams. He needs someone… _alive_.

* * *

The next day, while Elliott is having lunch with Bailey, Blaine decides to go to his favorite coffee shop. Coffee is one of the few human foods/drinks that Blaine actually likes, so he takes advantage of the chance to feel like a normal person for once.

Just as he's getting in line, he tenses up and tries not to inhale the aroma of fresh blood—he still has instincts; he can't help it. Then he catches the scent of the most… _delicious _wind of air he's ever inhaled, and he barely contains a gasp. His posture stiffens and he looks around, trying to locate the source of the scent. Right behind him, he sees a familiar face.

Surprised, he blurts out, "It's you!"

The man from the night before startles but looks up at him, relaxing when he sees who it is. "Oh. You scared me. Hello again."

Blaine can't help but grin. He pushes the scent away by cutting off his breathing altogether—he doesn't usually like to do that because he feels so _dead_, but when he gets a whiff of something that irresistible, he doesn't have much of a choice. He doesn't need to breathe, technically, but he likes to feel somewhat human. "So, do I get the pleasure of being properly introduced to you this time?"

The man smiles, a little too amused. "Have coffee with me and I'll think about it."

Blaine laughs, nodding. "Well, only if you insist."

So they order their coffee—Blaine takes note of the man's coffee order: a Grande Nonfat Mocha—and sit down together at a table by the window. "My name's Blaine, by the way," Blaine tells him casually before taking a sip of his Cinnamon Honey Latte—he tried something new after all.

The man smiles at him, sweetly rather than teasing this time. "It's nice to meet you, Blaine. And since you so kindly paid for my coffee, I think it's only fair we get to know each other better. My name's Kurt."

"Kurt," Blaine repeats with a smile, testing it out. "I like it. It suits you."

Kurt laughs and Blaine thinks it might be the most amazing sound he's ever heard. "Well, I would hope so. I have to say, I pegged you as more of a Ryan," he teases.

Blaine laughs again, shaking his head. "Ah, no," he says, chuckling lightly. "I'm just Blaine."

"Just Blaine?" he asks, his expression turning serious for a minute. "I don't know about that. You did kinda save me from being mugged—or worse—last night."

Blaine smiles a little, shrugs. "It was nothing. I just… couldn't let them hurt you."

"There were three of them and one of me," Kurt reminds him. "It wasn't 'nothing.' Thank you," he insists.

Blaine wants to reach out and take his hand that's resting on the tabletop, but it wouldn't be appropriate. Then again, what does he know about appropriate? He hasn't had any actual human social interaction since the 1800's. He reaches out and puts his hand over Kurt's, smiling softly. "You're welcome."

Kurt looks a little surprised by the contact, but not uncomfortable. He returns the smile and sips at his coffee, peeking at Blaine from over the lid of his cup. He doesn't pull his hand away.

* * *

**A/N: I'm trying something a little different with this fic :) Let me know what you think. I'll try to write more this weekend if I have time. **

**Until next time!**

**Review please. Reviews make me do an embarrassingly-flaily happy dance, so take advantage of this opportunity to embarrass me ;) **


	2. Strong

Chapter 2: Not Enough

* * *

Weeks go by and Kurt and Blaine become closer and closer as friends. They have frequent coffee dates and movie nights at one of their apartments, but they only have it at Blaine's when Elliott isn't home. Blaine doesn't want to overwhelm Kurt with Elliott's lack of filter quite yet.

Elliott, while still cautious for Blaine's sake, is surprisingly supportive. A few times, he goes out to spend the night at Bailey's so Kurt and Blaine can have their move nights. It only took one time finding them cuddling on the couch for Elliott to realize that Kurt usually spent the night. Since then, he's given them some space. He's glad that Blaine has a new friend, someone who makes him feel "normal" and "alive." That's how Blaine always describes it. And Elliott would feel awful taking that away from his best friend.

However, he starts to notice a change in the dynamic after about two months of Kurt and Blaine's friendship.

One night, he comes home to find them in Blaine's room when he wasn't expecting a sleepover. But this is different. Usually they stay on the couch or Blaine lets Kurt take the bed and Blaine lies on the couch. Silently, Elliott watches from the doorway. He hears Blaine talking to Kurt while the blue-eyed boy sleeps. "I'll never let anyone hurt you, Kurt. I… I really, _really _care about you," he whispers, brushing Kurt's hair out of his eyes. He watches Kurt sleep with a tender gaze, even going so far as to press a gentle kiss to Kurt's forehead.

Elliott decides that, rather than intruding on the private moment, he will confront Blaine in the morning.

And he does just that.

"Blaine, what do you think you're doing?" he hisses, startling Blaine awake. "Blaine! Have you lost your mind?"

Blaine shakes his head sleepily. "Nope. Just my heart. And my soul, I guess, but he doesn't need to know that yet."

"Wait, wait, wait," Elliott says with a disbelieving laugh, holding his hands up. "What do you mean, _'yet'? _You can't _tell _him!"

"He won't say anything, Elliott!" Blaine defends. "He isn't like that. I trust him."

"I knew this was going to happen," Elliott mutters, shaking his head. "I _knew _it. You just couldn't help yourself, could you? You had to fall for a human."

"It's not like I was actively trying to do it," Blaine says, glaring at him. "He's just…" he trails off, looking down at Kurt and smiling softly. "He's special," he finishes. Then he looks up at Elliott sharply. "And by the way? Last night, I tried sleeping. And with him next to me, it's the first time in centuries that I haven't had nightmares." That brings Elliott to a pause and his eyes widen. "Yeah. He makes me feel safe, okay? I know that's crazy because it's not like I'm all that delicate anymore, but it's true. Now get out of here before you wake him up. It's, like, four o'clock in the morning, you psycho."

Elliott manages a small laugh, shaking his head as he leaves the room. So maybe he overreacted a little. He's just worried about his friend. He has a right to be protective, doesn't he?

As for Blaine, he decides it'd be best—and it'd appear the least creepy—if he was caught sleeping on Kurt's shoulder rather than staring at Kurt while he sleeps. Yes, definitely less creepy. At least he can't get blamed for something he does while he's sleeping. Even if he isn't really sleeping.

A few hours later, Kurt wakes up to soft curls tickling his chin. He smiles and blinks his eyes open, looking down at Blaine's sleeping face. He wonders if Blaine knows how adorable he looks while he's sleeping. He also wonders if Blaine would wake up if Kurt kissed him on the forehead. He decides to try it. Blaine stirs a bit but he doesn't wake up. Kurt smiles softly at him.

After a few minutes, Blaine wakes up. He wasn't really sleeping, but Kurt doesn't need to know that.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Kurt says when Blaine subconsciously cuddles closer to his side. "How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I have in years," Blaine mumbles happily. "Knowing you're safe, I slept perfectly."

"Speaking of that, thank you for letting me stay here. I know I showed up suddenly…"

"It's fine," Blaine says with a smile. "What happened, though? You seemed pretty scared, whatever it was." Blaine's frown turns to a frown of concern and he sits up so he can see Kurt's face easier. Kurt sits up as well, sighing.

"I was scared," he admits. "I was running from this guy who was trying to… I don't know. I don't know what he was doing, but he kept saying I 'smelled delicious.' Whatever that means." Blaine's heart sinks and his mind instantly goes to Alec. Concern turns to anger. How dare he try to hurt Kurt? The one person who has ever made Blaine feel like he's a normal person? The only person who Blaine loves and can't truly protect? "Anyway, I was able to get away. I don't know if he followed me, but I didn't know where else to go so I came here. But the worst part was his eyes. They were _glowing_, but they weren't a normal color either. They were crimson, like blood."

_It has to be Alec_, Blaine thinks, terrified. Alec and Justin are the only other vampires in the city that Blaine knows of; at least, ones that hunt. There are some like Blaine who don't hunt. But if Alec or Justin followed Kurt to Blaine and Elliott's apartment, then he knows that Blaine knows Kurt. And they aren't going to be happy about it.

"That's odd," Blaine says, running through the thought process in a matter of seconds. He pretends to be puzzled by the description, just like Kurt is. "Are you hurt, though? He didn't hurt you, right?"

Kurt smiles. "No, Blaine, I'm fine. I was just a little scared last night, but I'm fine now. I'm just… glad I have you." He pauses, reaching out to hold Blaine's hand with trembling fingers. "You make me feel safe, Blaine. Somehow, when I'm around you, I feel like I don't have to be afraid of anything. I've never trusted anyone this much."

Blaine's chest tightens and he almost pulls his hand away, but he's learned by now that this is Kurt's way of showing affection. He uses physical touch to convey his feelings. And it scares Blaine because he's afraid that Kurt will notice too much. He'll notice that Blaine doesn't have a pulse. He'll notice that his skin gets too cold or too hot sometimes. He'll notice that Blaine's eyes flicker with red, straying from their usual golden color.

"I feel safe with you, too," he admits quietly, his voice trembling. He isn't used to opening up to anyone except for Elliott. And even then, there's really only so much that Elliott can do. Somehow, in the past few months, Kurt has helped Blaine so much. Blaine wants to be completely honest with him, but he can't. The thought kills him. "You… you make me feel happy again."

"Blaine…" Kurt says softly, rubbing his thumb over Blaine's knuckles and putting his other hand gently on Blaine's cheek. Blaine sucks in a sharp breath, exhaling shakily and watching Kurt carefully. "I don't ever want you to be unhappy."

"Then don't ever leave me," Blaine says before he can stop himself. And before he can regret the revealing words, he feels Kurt's lips on his. He feels both of Kurt's hands holding his face, tenderly stroking his cheekbones. He feels Kurt crawling onto his lap and he… he panics. "Kurt, wait," he gasps. Kurt pulls back, concern filling his eyes. Blaine takes a few calming deep breaths before he speaks. "I… I can't."

Kurt holds Blaine's hand between his own. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," Blaine sighs. "No, you didn't. That… I… You're amazing, Kurt. And believe me when I say that I've wanted to do that since we first met for coffee." Kurt laughs softly, smiling. Blaine smiles a little and squeezes Kurt's hand. "It's just that, when I was younger, I was… I was almost… sexually assaulted." He closes his eyes tightly. He's never even told Elliott about that part of the night he was bitten. The man was a total creep. But now Kurt knows and Blaine is afraid of how he'll react.

"Blaine, I… I'm so sorry. We don't have to do anything that you don't want to, okay? Even if you want to just hold hands, that's fine. I… I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe around me."

"You don't," Blaine assures him, smiling and leaning forward to kiss Kurt again. "I just—mmph—don't like not having control," he says between kisses. "It scares me and I panic." He presses in closer for a deep, meaningful kiss. Kurt melts against him, holding Blaine's shoulders tightly. "But I trust you," he says when they pull away. "I really care about you and I trust you, so much."

Kurt smiles and wraps his arms around Blaine's shoulders, hugging him close. "So… are we really doing this? Does this mean we're a couple?"

Blaine grins. "I think it does, yeah. I'll just have to find a way to tell my roommate."

"Are you sure you even have a roommate?" Kurt asks skeptically, the teasing undertones giving him away. Blaine laughs but Kurt continues. "I'm serious! I've never even met him and I'm here, like, _all the time_."

"I know, I know," Blaine says, sighing. "You'll meet him eventually. He's just not around a lot. He works graveyard shifts and he… sleeps during the day."

"So when do I get to meet the infamous roommate of my charming boyfriend?" Kurt asks. Blaine laughs softly, blushing, and kisses Kurt lightly.

"Soon, I promise. As long as I get to keep the honoring title," he says.

"What? 'My boyfriend'?" Blaine nods and Kurt grins at him. "Of course you do. I'm proud to call you my boyfriend, Blaine Anderson."

"Likewise, Kurt Hummel," Blaine replies with a grin to match Kurt's. "I couldn't be prouder."

* * *

"You did what now?" Elliott demands in disbelief. Kurt left and Blaine told Elliott about their conversation. Needless to say, he isn't reacting well.

"I thought you said you wouldn't blame me if I fell for him!" Blaine squeaks.

"Falling for him and agreeing to be his boyfriend are two very different things!" Elliott points out, raising his voice. When Blaine flinches at the tone, Elliott sighs and softens a bit. "Listen, you know I'm just worried about you. I want what's best for you."

"_Kurt _is what's best for me!" Blaine says, desperate to make Elliott understand. "Haven't you noticed anything different about me since I met him? Haven't you noticed how happy he makes me? Can't you see that he is helping me feel like myself again?"

"I have noticed that," Elliott says. "That's what I'm worried about."

Blaine frowns. "So you're saying I shouldn't be with him. You're saying that I shouldn't ever fall in love because there's a chance I might end up heartbroken? If I remember correctly, I'm pretty sure I've heard you say that the times you had with Jes were some of the best moments of your existence. You said you wouldn't give them up for anything, even if it would bring him back." Elliott flinches and Blaine sighs. "Maybe I will get hurt. Maybe it won't work out. But what if it does? You of all people should know that love is worth the possibility of pain. What if this is my chance to finally feel like I'm worth something? Like I have a purpose? Don't I deserve that chance?"

"Of course you do," Elliott says, sinking into the armchair and running a hand over his face. "You deserve it. I just want you to be certain that he's worth it—"

"He is," Blaine says with complete certainty. He's waited multiple lifetimes for someone like Kurt. There's no room in his mind for hesitation. "He's worth everything and then some. I love him."

Elliott nods. "In that case… go get him, tiger," he says with a sincere smile. Blaine grins and meets him in the middle for a hug.

"You're the best friend a guy could ask for."

"Well, I try," Elliott says. Blaine laughs and smacks his shoulder.

"You ruined it."

"It's what I do," he shrugs.

* * *

Later that night, Elliott and Blaine decide to go for a walk. It's a nice night so they can get away with wearing light jackets. Just as they're walking past an alleyway, hands grab them and pull them into the darkness.

"Hey!" Blaine starts to say but it's muffled by a hand holding a cloth over his mouth. That's definitely not human, though, because if it were Blaine would be able to pull away. He can't. He struggles to pull out of the grip around his neck and arms, seeing that Elliott is doing the same. But he can't see the face of the figure behind Elliott. "Let us go!" Blaine hisses when he manages to yank his head away from the cloth over his mouth.

"Come on, Anderson, we just want to talk," the guy behind him says. Blaine lets out a strangled gasp and the cloth is back over his mouth in an instant. _Alec. _He knows that voice. But what do Alec and Justin want with Blaine and Elliott? "Oh, don't pretend like you aren't glad to see us," he says in a condescending voice before shoving Blaine to the ground, face down. Blaine gets up to his hands and knees before Alec pushes him back down with a foot on his back. "It's been a long time, my friends."

"Not long enough," Blaine mutters, trying in vain to get up. But Alec is stronger than him. The advantages of being a hunter, Blaine would guess.

Alec shakes his head, making a few 'tsk' noises with his tongue. With each one, he pushes Blaine harder into the concrete. Blaine groans as one particularly hard push actually presses hard enough to crack the ground. "Now, that's no way to treat your friends, is it? Come on, get up and _greet us. _Properly, like your parents taught you, Blaine."

He tells him to get up but he only presses him down harder. Blaine groans in frustration and rolls to the side, hoping it'll make Alec lose his footing. It doesn't. The hunter just laughs and steps off to the side as Blaine stands and brushes himself off, glaring at the other man. "Nice to see you again, Alec," he says through gritted teeth. He's always hated that Alec has that kind of power over others; but he hates it especially when it's used against him. Alec can weave his way through people's minds, more so when he's had time to understand them, and get them to do exactly what he wants. Very rarely can Blaine ever fight it. "What do you want?" he snaps.

Alec laughs, delighted by Blaine's frustration. "Like I said, I just want to talk. You know how I love to tease you, Blaine." He laughs again before continuing. "I have an issue to discuss with you. It's about your little human friend." Blaine stops in his tracks, eyes widening in fear. Alec laughs again. "I knew that'd get your attention. You see, I can't have him messing up our little games here in the city. If he finds out about us… Well, let's just say it won't be pretty. So I suggest you cut all ties and tell the poor boy to move on if you care anything about his safety."

After years of knowing Alec, Blaine knows that he wouldn't leave Kurt alone even if he was no longer a threat to their secret. He knows not to trust the hunter.

"You stay away from him!" Blaine practically growls it, launching forward and pinning the other man to the brick wall. "If you touch him, I swear I'll—"

"You'll what?" Alec prompts, smirking. "You can't do anything to me. You're weak, Blaine. You can't protect him and you know it."

Blaine backs off as if he was slapped, stumbling a bit as he realizes that Alec's right. He can't do a thing to protect Kurt if Alec comes after him. Alec's always been stronger. He's even stronger than Elliott.

Blaine drops to his knees as Alec and Justin leave the alleyway. Alec kicks him until he's flat on his stomach again; then he laughs as he walks away. "Blaine, are you okay?" Elliott asks him, helping him up.

"I'm fine," Blaine murmurs. "Elliott, I have to tell Kurt."

"Blaine, that'll just make him more of a target—"

"You and I both know that Alec won't leave him alone," Blaine interrupts. "He'll come for Kurt either way. He gets bored. He likes to play games. And now he wants me to be his pawn. But I can't let him hurt Kurt. But I can't protect Kurt if he doesn't know what's going on or if he doesn't trust me completely."

Elliott sighs. "Fine. Just wait a few days, okay? This isn't just your secret. It's mine, too. And Bailey's. It's just a few days, I promise."

Reluctantly, Blaine nods. "Fine, _fine_. I'll tell him this Saturday, okay? Until then, he's coming over for movie nights. I can't let him out of my sight when it's dark out. That's when Alec attacks."

"Okay, that's fair. I understand you need to do whatever you can to protect him. I understand that better than anyone, trust me."

"I know, Ell," he says with a small smile. "For tonight, I think he'll be safe. Alec doesn't know where he lives and it's late so he won't be going out. Hopefully."

"Don't worry so much," Elliott says. They start walking home, Elliott putting a comforting arm over Blaine's shoulders. "He'll be safe tonight. And he'll be safe tomorrow night and the night after because he's got you. And I've never seen someone so determined to protect the ones they love. It doesn't matter what Alec does. He's not going to hurt Kurt."

Blaine appreciates the assurances from Elliott. He really does. He just wishes they were enough to keep Kurt safe in his arms. He just wishes they were enough to keep him hidden from Alec and all other dangers in the world, forever and ever. But most of all, he wishes that he'd never put Kurt in danger in the first place. He wishes that he could let Kurt go and forget about how much he really needs the beautiful man. He wishes that he didn't need him.

He wishes that he wasn't so selfish for keeping Kurt too close.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, look, I actually have this going somewhere. I didn't think I would when I started writing this story. But little plot ideas keep popping up like whack-o-moles. That was a lame comparison and I apologize. **

**Until next time! **

**Review please :)**


	3. Trust

Chapter 3: Trust

* * *

The next morning, Blaine calls Kurt, hoping that he's awake. He taps his fingers nervously against his thigh as he waits, each drawn out _Ri-i-i-ing_ pulling at his anxiety. Kurt answers on the fifth ring. "Hello?" he asks drowsily.

Blaine slouches against the back of the couch in relief. "Hey… Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, you're…" he yawns, finishing the sentence after a few seconds. "You're fine. I was just getting up."

"Okay," Blaine smiles, relaxed by Kurt's voice.

"So… did you need something?" Kurt prompts.

"I just wanted to hear your voice," Blaine admits. "How was movie night with Rachel?"

"It was good, though not as enjoyable as _our _movie nights," he says. Blaine's stomach flutters happily as Kurt continues. "I have to say, you're much better at the cuddling part."

"Well, I try," Blaine shrugs, grinning. "So… I wanted to ask you something."

"Anything," Kurt says calmly.

"How would you feel about us going on our first official date as a couple?"

"Today?" Kurt asks, sounding surprised.

Blaine chuckles. "Of course, silly. Unless you're busy, I mean."

"I'm not busy," Kurt says in a rush. "I mean… I'd love to. Where should I meet you?"

Blaine shakes his head before remembering that Kurt can't see him. "Uh, I was thinking I could pick you up at your apartment. That way it'll be a surprise." He doesn't want Kurt thinking that he doesn't think Kurt can take care of himself. He knows Kurt is strong. He's brave and tough and smart. But none of that matters if Alec finds him and decides he wants a snack or a new pawn in his favorite game: the hunt.

Yes, he knows Kurt can usually take care of himself. But there's a difference between New York City muggings and New York City feedings. Kurt wouldn't stand a chance in the latter.

"That sounds perfect," Kurt says, interrupting his thoughts. "So, I'll see you at… seven?"

"How about six?" Blaine asks, trying to sound casual.

Kurt laughs. Not in a mocking way; more out of fondness. "Six is great. I'll see you then, Blaine."

After that, they hang up and Blaine breathes out a sigh of relief. Kurt will be safe tonight, as long as he can convince him to spend the night at Blaine's or at least let Blaine walk him home. Alec won't strike in daylight, so he'll be safe until six. After that, Blaine just has to make sure that Kurt doesn't leave his side. He knows that if Kurt knew he was being so protective and paranoid, he would get mad at him. He would say that he isn't delicate. He isn't someone who needs protecting. But that's only because Kurt doesn't know what Blaine's protecting him from.

The rest of the day passes slowly and Blaine can do nothing but pace the apartment until Elliott grabs his shoulders and forces him to sit down and take deep breaths.

"Why are you so nervous? Is this because of Alec?"

"Only partially," Blaine admits. "This is my first date with Kurt. What if I screw it up? What if he decides he doesn't want to date me after this? What if he never wants to see me again and I can't be around to protect him from Alec?"

_"__Blaine," _Elliott says. "Relax. You love Kurt and I'm almost certain that he loves you back. Didn't you pay attention to what he was doing the other day when you were pretending to be asleep?" Blaine frowns, confused. "He was being all tender and loving just like you did with him. There's no way he doesn't feel the same about you."

Some of the tension in Blaine's face and shoulders seems to relax and he smiles. "Thanks, Elliott. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You won't ever have to find out," Elliott assures him, smiling. "Come on, I'll help you get ready for your date. There's no way you're wearing _that_."

Blaine pouts. "What's wrong with my outfit?"

"The bowties, Blaine," Elliott says, exasperated. "They get old after about two centuries."

"I take a personal offense to that."

"Good." Blaine huffs but he lets Elliott sit him down on a stool in the bathroom anyway. Elliott finds Blaine's tightest pair of jeans—dark brown, almost black—and a forest green sweater, very classy. Then he helps Blaine with his hair, which Blaine tells him is hopeless. However, when Elliott's done with it, his hair looks _amazing_. It's straightened and done up in a coif, fluffed and styled to perfection.

"Wow," Blaine breathes, looking in the mirror. "Are you sure you don't have some kind of mystical hair powers? You have to teach me how to do this."

"All in due time, my friend," Elliott says with a laugh. "Now, eyeliner."

_"__What?"_

Elliott rolls his eyes. "It's just a thin line to make your eyes pop a little. Kurt's going to love it."

"I thought you said Kurt already loved me," Blaine says with a pout.

"He does but this'll make him go _crazy_. Do you see yourself, Blaine? You're a catch."

"Fine." Blaine closes his eyes and lets Elliott work his magic.

A minute later, he opens his eyes and he almost doesn't recognize himself. _"__Whoa."_

"I know, right?" Elliott laughs, checking out his handiwork. "Very sexy. Kurt's not going to know what hit him."

"Whoa," Blaine says again, staring at the mirror with disbelieving eyes.

"Okay, Blainers. Go get him."

"Don't call me that," Blaine says before standing up and walking over to the coat rack with a grin. He grabs his coat and slips his shoes on. "Thanks, Elliott! I owe you one!" he says before leaving.

With a new confidence, he walks the two blocks to Kurt's apartment and knocks on the door. "Just a second!" he hears Kurt's voice call out. He smiles and waits.

A few seconds later, the door opens and Kurt's sharp intake of breath is enough to let Blaine know that Elliott succeeded. "Do you like it?" Blaine asks with a grin. If it weren't for the puppy dog expression, Kurt might not even recognize him.

"I…" Kurt starts, staring at Blaine. "Blaine, you look amazing," he finally manages.

"Not as amazing as you, my dear," Blaine responds, taking Kurt's hand and kissing his knuckles. If Kurt had to guess, he'd say that he was dreaming and that he'd just found his dream boy from the 1800's. If only he knew how right he was. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah," Kurt says, his usual eloquence all but gone. "Your gentlemanly actions are quite the contrast to your… new look," he says once they've started walking to wherever Blaine is taking them. He's glad that the cold air has given him the breathing room he needs to clear his head and speak intelligently.

"It was my roommate's idea," Blaine tells him. "He said it made me look sexy."

Kurt reaches out and links their hands together between them, pressing their palms together. Blaine looks over at him and Kurt smiles. "I'll be the first to say that his assessment was _very _accurate. However, you kind of look sexy all the time. It's really not fair to all of us mere mortals."

Blaine laughs nervously, squeezing Kurt's hand. "That coming from you," he says. "I don't think you realize how stunning you are." He smiles when he sees Kurt's cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. For the next few minutes, though, they walk in silence and Blaine can't help but over think what Kurt said about "us mere mortals." He can't possibly have been serious… right? There's way he could know Blaine's secret. And yet Blaine can't fight the creeping suspicion that Kurt's onto them.

"Do I get a hint of where we're going?" Kurt asks a few minutes later, pulling Blaine out of his thoughts.

Blaine smiles at him. "Nope. But we're almost there."

They soon arrive at a nice Italian restaurant. The idea almost makes Blaine laugh because of all the myths that vampires hate garlic. Garlic bread happens to be one of Blaine's favorite human foods. Any human food that he eats is purely out of pleasure, because he can't live off of it. He can't survive without blood, which he really resents sometimes. He hates stealing pints of blood from the hospital, but it's the best option he has.

He shakes his head, clearing out those thoughts. Tonight, he just wants to focus on Kurt.

"Do you want a table or a booth?" Blaine asks him as they wait in line.

"A booth is fine," Kurt says with a smile. They're still holding hands and Blaine notices that Kurt's are shaking. It's nice to know he isn't the only one who's nervous.

"Hey," Blaine says softly. "We've done this dozens of times before, haven't we? The only difference is that now I can kiss you if I want, and vice versa."

Kurt smiles, seeming to relax a bit. "Okay."

They sit down across from each other at a booth and make small talk until the waiter takes their order. Then, while they wait for their food, they talk a bit more. They've been friends for a while, so they really already know each other pretty well, but Blaine wants to know more.

"How long have you been in New York?" Blaine asks, sipping his water.

Kurt smiles. "A little more than four years now."

"And what brought you here?"

"College," Kurt shrugs. "But I also just needed to get out of Ohio. I mean, I've already told you a little bit about my high school years. It wasn't easy being the only openly gay kid in my school."

Blaine nods. "I can imagine. I… I never came out at school. It wasn't until I was older and had more supportive friends."

Kurt reaches out to put a hand over Blaine's, smiling softly. "So, what about you? What brought you to New York?"

"I've lived here my whole life," Blaine says. He searches his mind for a question that will turn the conversation around and focus on Kurt. Kurt needs to stop asking him questions about himself…

"What about your family?"

Blaine freezes, immediately tensing up. "I-I—"

"You don't have to answer that," Kurt rushes to say, noticing his panicked expression. He squeezes Blaine's hand and smiles reassuringly. "It's okay."

Blaine nods and breathes shakily. "Thank you. What about _your _family, then? I hope that's an easier subject than mine."

Kurt smiles; he's relieved that he hasn't scared Blaine away. "They're wonderful. My dad has always been supportive of me, and my step-mom is the sweetest. My brother—well, step-brother, but that doesn't matter—is living in California, going to college with his friend Noah."

"Step-mom," Blaine repeats. "Did your parents split up, or..?"

"Oh, no, of course not," Kurt rushes to say, almost defensive. "They… they were completely in love. My dad still loves her and… we both miss her. She died when I was eight," he says quietly.

Blaine puts his other hand over Kurt's, rubbing his thumb gently over Kurt's knuckles. "I understand. I lost my parents when I was… very young." He doesn't bother going into more detail, hoping Kurt won't ask.

Kurt just nods and they share a silent smile. A moment later, their food arrives and they go back to light small talk while they eat. Blaine figures they'll have enough to talk about Saturday night. He doesn't want to risk getting so deep into conversation that he ends up spilling the secret before then.

After dinner, Blaine offers for Kurt to spend the night.

"I should probably be getting home," Kurt says. "I'd like to tomorrow, though, if you don't mind another movie night."

Blaine nods, glad to take the offer. Anything he can do to keep Kurt safe. "That sounds great. At least let me walk you home?"

Kurt smiles. "That's sweet but… I don't think that's necessary."

"Please," Blaine begs, desperate. He reaches out to gently grasp Kurt's arm, but it's not as gentle as he hoped.

Kurt winces. "Blaine, you're hurting me," he says in a small voice. His tone alone would be enough for Blaine to immediately let go of the vice grip he has on Kurt's bicep.

"I… I'm sorry," Blaine stutters, eyes widening in fear. "Please, I just want to make sure you're safe. It's getting late."

Kurt hesitates for a moment, but he eventually offers a small smile. "Okay."

Blaine sighs in relief and moves to hold Kurt's hand, but the taller boy pulls his hand away. Blaine recoils like he was struck, feeling guilt pull at his insides. "I'm really sorry," he says again.

"I know."

Blaine sighs sadly and they walk in silence until they get to Kurt's apartment. "Can we still have a movie night tomorrow?" he asks hopefully.

Kurt smiles and steps closer to him, kissing his forehead. "Of course. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Blaine agrees, smiling a little in relief. "Goodnight, Kurt."

"Goodnight, Blaine."

Blaine leaves only after he hears the click of the lock on Kurt's front door. He takes a deep breath before heading towards his own apartment. As he's walking, he hears someone whispering and he frowns. That doesn't sound like the normal hum of noise that New York sidewalks usually has.

_"__You're weak."_

Blaine walks faster.

_"__You can't protect him." _

Blaine must be imagining it.

_"__What if I just killed him and made you watch?"_

Blaine almost screams. This time, the voice is right over his shoulder. Before he knows it, he's being pulled into an alleyway and pressed against the brick wall by Alec. The stronger vampire grins menacingly at him and laughs softly. "Get the message?"

"You stay away from him!" he growls, trying to push Alec off of him. _"__I mean it!" _

Alec laughs again. "Feisty. I like it. You know, I'm sort of loving this new look. You're actually kind of hot."

"Asshole," Blaine spits. "Get off of me."

That laugh is getting annoying. "It's so fun getting you all worked up. You still haven't learned. Do you know why you always get so angry when I'm around? I control you, remember? You can't do anything about it."

"I can try," Blaine says through gritted teeth, shoving Alec off of him. "I won't let you hurt Kurt," he says sharply before leaving. He doesn't take the main sidewalk. He wants to run, and fast. He climbs up the side of the building in a matter of seconds and runs as fast as he can, jumping from rooftop to rooftop until he gets to his own building.

He drops down onto the fire escape with a thud and opens the sliding glass door, storming past Elliott's room.

"Whoa, Blaine, what's up?" Elliott asks, sitting up in alarm. "What happened?"

"Alec," Blaine mutters, breathing in and out rapidly.

Elliott rushes over to him, urging him to sit down on the couch. "Blaine, you have to calm down. I've never seen it this bad. I know he messes with your head, but it's not usually this powerful… What happened, exactly?"

"I went on my date and we had a great time. I walked Kurt home, but as I was walking back here Alec started whispering all these things to me about how I can't protect Kurt. Then he grabbed me and pulled me into an alley again. He's just a jerk and I hate him!" He sits with his back against Elliott's side, knees pulled up to his chest, face buried in his knees, hands yanking at tufts of his own hair. Elliott holds him close and tries to calm him down.

"Blaine, it's okay. He's just messing with your head again. No one's going to hurt Kurt. We aren't going to let that happen. You need to calm down right now."

"Elliott," Blaine whimpers, tears streaming down his face.

"I know, I know," Elliott says soothingly, pulling Blaine to his chest and rubbing his back. "It's okay. Just breathe. It's okay. Kurt's safe, I promise. Just calm down."

Blaine nods against Elliott's chest, shivering for a moment before he finally manages to calm down. He pushes Alec's influence out of his mind and focuses on his friend. "Thank you," he whispers.

"Anytime," Elliott promises.

* * *

Kurt goes out to sit on the fire escape shortly after Blaine leaves, taking a minute to clear his head. The way Blaine acted before he left… it was so unusual for him. Why did he look so scared? Why did he hold onto Kurt's arm like he was afraid he'd lose him if he didn't hold on tight enough? Kurt still can't make sense of any of it.

"It's a nice night, isn't it?" asks an unfamiliar voice from the fire escape beneath him. Kurt startles and looks down to see a man who he doesn't recognize. Well, he looks vaguely familiar, but Kurt can't place him.

"Uh, yeah," he says, confused. Why is this stranger talking to him?

But the stranger just smiles, crooked and cold. Kurt swallows nervously. "You care about that boy, don't you?"

Kurt frowns. "I don't see how that's your business. But yes, I do. Very much."

"And you trust him, correct?"

"Of course."

"Well, you shouldn't," the man says, his voice suddenly harsh. Kurt flinches a little, surprised. "He's been lying to you all along. His roommate doesn't work at night. He didn't lose his family when he was younger. He hasn't been a day younger than nineteen since the year 1815."

"What?" Kurt exclaims, confused. "What are you talking about? How do you even know him?"

"I know him quite a bit better than you do, Kurt," the stranger says. "Don't believe me? Ask him yourself. Or ask his roommate, whose only _job _at night is to bring back dinner."

"I don't—"

"Ask him," the man hisses. "And just to make him mad, go ahead and mention that Alec sent you. He'll love that." With that, the man leaves, leaving Kurt more confused than ever.

* * *

**A/N: I'm going to go ahead and leave it there. Next chapter: will the truth come out? Why didn't Alec just kill Kurt now that he knows where he lives? What will Kurt do? So many questions! They will all be answered next chapter :)**

**Until next time! **

**Review please ;)**


	4. Puzzles

Chapter 4: Puzzles

* * *

The next day, Kurt texts Blaine saying that he's coming over for lunch.

_Sounds good :) I'll see you soon. –B _

Kurt sighs and tries to hold on to the hope that nothing's wrong and his new neighbor is just delusional. He doesn't want Blaine to be lying to him.

Once he gets to Blaine's apartment, he knocks hesitantly. The door opens a few seconds later to reveal Blaine, beaming at him. "Hey, Kurt!" he says excitedly. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. Not that I'm complaining."

Kurt smiles and steps inside. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something," he says, looking around even though he's been here countless times.

Blaine's smile drops a bit out of worry but he quickly replaces it and offers Kurt a seat on the couch. "Sure. What's going on?" He sits down next to Kurt and relaxes a little when Kurt grabs his hand.

"I was talking to my… neighbor. Last night after you left."

Blaine frowns, confused. "Okay… I didn't know you were friends with any of your neighbors."

"I'm not," Kurt says, shaking his head. "This one was new, I think. He commented on the weather and I didn't think much of it… but then he mentioned you."

The ball of anxiety in Blaine's stomach grows and he gulps. "What did he say?"

Kurt laughs, sounding a little baffled. "He said that you've been lying to me; about your roommate, about your parents, about everything. He said something about the year 1815," he adds, frowning and shaking his head, trying to make sense of it. "He wasn't making sense."

"Did he mention his name?" Blaine asks after a moment of silence.

"Yes," Kurt says, looking even more troubled. "He told me to tell you that 'Alec sent me.' He said it would make you upset…"

Blaine does his very best not to show the panic that he's feeling. Alec. Before finding Blaine, he was talking to Kurt, messing with his head. He was mere feet away from Kurt and Blaine had no idea. He could've…

No. Blaine can't afford to think like that. He has to focus on keeping Kurt safe.

"Alec?" Blaine asks and Kurt nods. Blaine quickly cooks up a lie, feeling guilty for lying even though he knows he needs to. "You must've met my ex-boyfriend," he says, laughing and shaking his head. "Ever since he and I broke up, he's been spreading lies about me and trying to turn everyone against me. And now that I've met you and I'm finally happy, he's jealous. He's completely delusional and he thinks that by driving everyone else away from me, he'll win me back or something." He looks at Kurt pleadingly, squeezing his hand. "Please don't believe anything he says. I don't want him to come between us. I care about you so much and I don't want to lose you."

Kurt smiles at him, bringing his hand up to cup Blaine's cheek. "I believe you."

Blaine's face crumples in relief and Kurt kisses him gently. He does believe Blaine. He trusts him. But still, he's curious. Why had Alec mentioned 1815? Where did that even come from? He's determined to find out.

"Can we start our movie night a little early?" Blaine asks hopefully.

"I actually have some work to do back at my apartment," Kurt tells him. "But I'll be back in a few hours, okay?"

"Promise?"

"I promise," Kurt says, kissing Blaine's forehead and then his lips. "I'll see you soon."

"I'll be waiting," Blaine says, smiling tiredly.

They kiss again and then Kurt leaves, heading home. Once he gets there, he pulls out his laptop and situates himself on his bed.

On a whim, Kurt types _"__1815" _into the search bar.

Dozens of useless links pop up and Kurt scrolls through a few pages of results before giving up on that. Then he searches for _"__1815 still living." _Something catches his eye.

_"__Crime rates in 1815 skyrocket after war ends" –Victims of mysterious crimes thought to be around today…_

Curious, he clicks on the link. The first paragraph of the article is paired with a picture of a dead body, pale and bled out. There is another picture further down that shows a zoomed in picture of a victim's neck; they look like bite marks.

He reads the article. Well, parts of it at least.

_"…__In 1815, celebrations in New York were wild after the war came to its end. Parties, drinks, laughter, and, believe it or not, more crimes than the colony had ever before. Bodies were found in alleys with marks that couldn't be mistaken for anything other than what they were: bite marks. Human bite marks! Skeptics thought the marks were put there by special made weapons used by murderers, while others believed in the existence of blood-thirsty immortals…_

_"…__One survivor of one of these attacks was able to give his thoughts on the crimes. He didn't give his name, but his words will go down in history. 'Their eyes were red like a British soldier's coat! Their teeth were shining and growing into fangs. Their skin was like ice and fire battling! They didn't get to bite me before sunrise. If I had a wooden stake, I would've put an end to these crimes!' The man was found dead a few days later…"_

_"…__It would seem that the immortal liked to prey on young men, charming them into believing that they will offer them love. Several of these young men that were found dead also showed evidence of sexual assault…"_

_"…__Many unexplained disappearances also lead researchers to believe that there were more survivors. Perhaps some were even made immortal like the monsters that came before them…"_

Kurt sets his laptop aside with shaking hands. He remembers the night he ran to Blaine's apartment, terrified of the red-eyed man who had cornered him. He remembers the way Blaine panicked when he told him about it, like he knew exactly what it all meant. He remembers the feeling of Blaine's skin when they spent nights cuddled together: warm some nights and icy others. He remembers seeing flickers of red in Blaine's hazel eyes. He remembers Blaine telling him how he was nearly sexually assaulted…

According to the article, all of this could only mean one thing. But could Kurt really believe in that? Could he really believe that a venomous bite could turn someone immortal and blood-thirsty? Could he honestly accept that Blaine could be one of those horrible monsters described by the man in the article?

One thing he knows for certain. He needs to talk to Blaine.

* * *

Blaine decides while Kurt's gone that the only way to truly protect him is to tell him the truth. He needs Kurt to trust him in order to be able to protect him. Elliott will understand. He understands that Blaine needs to protect Kurt. He'll understand that Blaine doesn't have any other choice.

He's just about to call Kurt when he hears a knock on the door. He opens it and is surprised to see Kurt standing there. "Kurt! Hi, I wasn't expecting you until later. Come in."

Kurt nods and walks inside, taking a seat on the couch. He decides that he'll wait to see if Blaine will tell him the truth before he dives in for an interrogation. Blaine sits down on the couch beside him and takes his hand. Their eyes meet and Kurt can't help feeling hurt that Blaine doesn't trust him enough to tell him the truth.

"I need to talk to you about something," Blaine finally says. He lets out a little puff of breath like the one sentence was difficult for him to get out. "I need to be honest with you because if I don't I'm afraid I'll lose you."

"You won't lose me," Kurt says.

"It scares me even more that I could lose you and neither of us would be able to stop it from happening."

"Blaine, what are you talking about?"

"Alec isn't really my ex-boyfriend," Blaine says. "I mean, we used to be kinda close but not like that. What he told you, though… Not all of it was a lie." Kurt squeezes Blaine's hand to let him know it's safe to go on. "My roommate doesn't really have a night job. Not exactly. He goes out at night, but it's not technically a job. But that's not the point. And I didn't lie about my parents. I did lose them, but it was my fault."

"You're not making any sense, Blaine," Kurt says.

"I know… I know," Blaine says, sighing in frustration. "I'm sorry. It's just hard to talk about. What I'm trying to say is… I was born in 1795. And I've been nineteen years old since December of 1814."

"How is that possible?" Kurt whispers, even though he knows.

"Because… On Christmas night, I was walking home, and I was pulled into an alley. A man pinned me to the wall, and that's the night I was almost sexually assaulted. But that's not all he did. He… he bit me, and I was turned into a vampire." He looks away, tensing up and expecting the worst. What he doesn't expect is for Kurt to pull him into a hug. "I—"

"Thank you for telling me the truth."

"You're not scared of me? You're not going to say you don't believe me?" Blaine asks in a rush of disbelief.

Kurt smiles sadly and holds him tightly. "Of course I'm not. Before I came here, I actually did some research. I found an article and it explained things. So I believe you. But I have to say, some of the pictures on the website were pretty terrifying."

Blaine sits up, looking at Kurt with wide eyes. "Kurt, I would _never _hurt you. I swear I'm not like that. I don't hunt."

"I know you wouldn't hurt me," Kurt says with a soft smile. "I trust you."

Blaine's eyes run through a plethora of emotions—fear, relief, shock, love—before he smiles shakily and throws his arms around Kurt's shoulders. "Thank you."

Kurt winces as Blaine hugs him a little too tightly. "Uh, superhuman strength, remember? I can't breathe."

Blaine immediately pulls away, apologetic. "Sorry," he says softly. "I guess I'm not doing so well with not hurting you."

Kurt just smiles. "It was a hug. I'll take it as a compliment."

Blaine laughs, breaking into a grin. "It feels so wonderful now that you know. I feel like I don't have to hide anymore."

"You never have to hide from me," Kurt says before kissing him. Blaine slowly moves his lips to Kurt's neck, kissing gently, which reminds Kurt of something. "Blaine?"

"Hmm?" Blaine acknowledges, not breaking contact.

"Can I… see your fangs?" he asks, a little breathless with Blaine's mouth on him.

Blaine sucks enthusiastically on a spot above Kurt's collarbone, almost like he didn't hear Kurt. Then Kurt hears a growl rumble low in Blaine's throat and he startles, pulling back.

_"__Blaine!" _he repeats and Blaine immediately sits up, suddenly alert and very, _very _guilty-looking.

"I'm sorry," Blaine whispers, his eyes wide with fear. "I didn't mean—I can't—your scent is… _intoxicating. _I can't control myself when we're close like that. I can't…" His mind immediately goes to Jes and Elliott and he jumps up, running to his room in less than a second. The perks of being a vampire; you can run _really _fast. He locks the door behind him and crawls onto his bed, running his hands through his hair and trying to calm down.

"Blaine! Please open the door," Kurt says from the other side of the door, knocking insistently.

"No!" Blaine calls back. "I'm not going to let myself hurt you."

"You won't hurt me, Blaine," Kurt says confidently. "I know you won't. Please let me in. I just want to help."

"I just… I just need a minute," Blaine chokes out, taking deep breaths to calm down.

It takes another ten minutes before Blaine is able to get past his instincts and focus enough to consciously stop breathing, therefore cutting off his sense of smell. If he can't smell Kurt, he won't be overwhelmed and he won't hurt him. That's what he's had to do every time he's been with Kurt since the moment they met, and he can do it now. He refuses to lose control and hurt Kurt.

"You can come in now," he croaks, clearing his throat and hoping Kurt hears him.

The door opens and Kurt crosses the room slowly, concern written all over his face. "Blaine…"

"I'm sorry about that," he says. "I should've known that I wouldn't be able to control myself… I promise I won't do it again."

Silently, Kurt sits next to him on Blaine's bed and hugs him. Blaine immediately relaxes into Kurt's arms, sighing. "Why hasn't my… my scent been an issue before?" Kurt asks curiously.

Blaine laughs a little. "It has been from the moment we met. I've just trained myself not to breathe when I'm around you. That way I can't smell you and I'm not tempted to lose control."

"You don't need to breathe?"

"I'm essentially dead, Kurt. There really isn't much I need."

Kurt nods, grimacing. "But you need blood." Blaine nods. "How do you feed without hunting?"

"I have a friend who works in the hospital. She gets me pints of O-negative, the most common blood type. That way I'm not causing a supply in demand problem. It isn't enough, but I get by."

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

Blaine sighs, sitting up to look at Kurt. "It's enough to keep me 'alive', so to speak, but I'm not as strong as those who hunt. I'm not as strong as Alec…" He looks down, shutting his eyes tightly.

"What does he have to do with anything?"

"He wants you dead," Blaine says and Kurt's hand squeezes his a little tighter. "And he knows that I'm not strong enough to protect you."

Kurt wants to say that he doesn't need protecting, but he is coming to realize that this is much bigger than a couple of muggings in New York. This is beyond his control, and maybe even beyond Blaine's.

"Alec likes to make hunting into a game," Blaine says, scowling at the thought. "He won't stop until the threat of our secret being revealed is gone."

"He thinks that I'll reveal the secret?" Blaine nods. "But that's crazy. I wouldn't tell anyone—"

"I know that," Blaine says. "And he probably knows, too, but he doesn't care. It'd be enough just knowing that you knew, but now that he knows that I'm involved he sees an opportunity for a real game. He could've killed you last night at your apartment, or even today, now that he knows where you live. He could've killed you that night when he found you and you came to my apartment—"

"That was him?" Kurt asks, eyes widening a little in surprise.

"Yeah, I'm almost certain of it," Blaine confirms. "But he hasn't acted yet, which scares me. He's planning something and he wants to make it as excruciating as possible."

Kurt nods, taking it all in. "So… what are we going to do?"

"Elliott, Bailey, and I are going to protect you at all costs. Elliott is my roommate and he's been my friend ever since we were bitten on the same night. Bailey is my friend at the hospital, and she was turned a few years before we were. They've both agreed to protect you from Alec and his follower Justin."

Frustrated, Kurt asks, "So what am _I _going to do?"

"You're going to be safe and out of harm's way," Blaine says firmly. He rises to his knees and kisses Kurt's forehead, cupping his cheek. "I couldn't bear it if you were harmed, Kurt. Without you I may as well have died back in 1814. You're all that matters to me now."

Kurt stares into Blaine's eyes, studying him for a moment before he nods. "Okay. I won't… do anything stupid," he promises. Blaine seems pleased, kissing his lips lightly before nuzzling his cheek. "Let's lie down, okay?" Blaine nods again and they lie down on Blaine's bed, arms wrapped around each other.

"I hope you won't be scared off when I say this, but I love you, Kurt Hummel. I feel like I've been waiting centuries for you and I've finally found you." Blaine smiles nervously at Kurt, brushing his thumb gently over Kurt's cheek.

Kurt smiles, biting his lip as he meets Blaine's eyes. "I love you, too."

And Blaine just grins, because that's all he needs to hear. Alec will come when he sees fit, and they'll have to put an end to him permanently in order to ensure Kurt's safety. They'll face plenty of other struggles, some involving other hunters and some not. But the most important thing, in that moment, is that Kurt loves him. He isn't going anywhere. And that thought alone is enough to lull Blaine into a peaceful sleep.

The rest he'll deal with when the sun comes up.

* * *

**A/N: Hello, friends! This might be the last update for this weekend because I'm running low on ideas but you never know when inspiration will hit. Never say never! **

**Until next time!**

**Review please :)**


	5. Safe

Chapter 5: Safe

* * *

Unfortunately, peaceful sleep has never been a common thing for Blaine. He's been sleeping better when Kurt is with him, but tonight is the exception.

His nightmares are all over the place tonight. One minute he's walking home and the next he's laying on the ground, screaming in agony. Then he's face-to-face with the monster that turned him. Next, he's at his home and he's…

_Blaine woke up feeling a bit dizzy but… stronger, in a way. He practically leapt to his feet and ran home to assure his parents that he was okay. It was past midnight so surely they'd be worried. _

_The streets were empty, which wasn't unusual for this time of night. But Blaine had a sudden yearning to run into a random stranger. He couldn't place why, but he craved… something. Something that he instinctively knew that only another human could give. _

_When Blaine got home, he unlocked the door and walked quietly inside in case his parents were sleeping. They weren't. They were waiting for him on the couch by the fireplace. _

_"__You're home late, Blaine," his mother said, turning to look at him. He stood by the door, hands clasped together in front of him as he waited to be scolded. "We were worried sick about you." _

_Blaine nodded. "I'm sorry, mother. I lost track of time."_

_She smiled kindly at him and both of his parents stood up, moving closer to give him a hug. "It's okay," his father said. "We're just glad you're safe."_

_"__Let's get to bed," said his mother just as a cold breeze blew in through the open window. _

_Blaine froze, eyes widening, nose perking up. He caught the scent of his parents in the sudden burst of wind and his eyes turned a dark crimson. His mother gasped and moved away, but before either parent could make another move Blaine had pounced. _

_When Blaine came back to his senses, he noticed he was sitting in a puddle of blood. It soaked his clothes and stung his nostrils. He looked around some more and his heart stopped when he saw the sources of the blood. _

_In front of him, his parents lay dead, pale, and motionless. They were lifeless by his hand. _

_"__Mama? Papa?" he whispered, tears running down his face. What had he done? More importantly, why did he have to force down the overwhelming urge to do it again? _

Blaine wakes up with a gasp, choking on air and grasping for whatever's nearest to him. His right hand grips the sheets and his left finds a warm hand.

"Blaine?" Kurt murmurs worriedly, sitting up in an instant and brushing Blaine's sweaty curls out of his eyes. "What's the matter?"

Blaine breathes deeply for a few moments before he's calm enough to answer. "I…" he swallows, breathing out shakily. "I had a nightmare."

"Oh, honey," Kurt coos, lying down and pulling Blaine to his chest. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Blaine shakes his head and then freezes, exhaling slowly and nodding instead. "M-My parents…"

"What about them, sweetheart?"

"The same night I was turned, I came home and found them by the fireplace," Blaine says quietly. He's afraid of saying it aloud because he's never told anyone before but, somehow, he feels calm with Kurt holding him and stroking his hair. Somehow he knows that Kurt won't judge him. "I was still… _new_. I didn't know how to control myself yet. And a breeze came through the house and I smelled their blood and… I lost control. It was like it wasn't even me. I was just as awful as the monster that made me like this. I'm a monster. They died and it's completely my fault," he finishes with a sob, burying his face in Kurt's shoulder.

"Shh," Kurt soothes, kissing Blaine's hair. "It wasn't you, Blaine. You're a _good person_. It wasn't you that killed them. I know you, Blaine. You wouldn't hurt anyone. I know because you are willing to risk your life to protect me and you are trying so hard to control yourself because you don't want to hurt me. A monster wouldn't do that. You are the most caring, selfless, and thoughtful person I have ever met. You're not a monster."

Blaine's sobs have died down to sniffles and he clings to Kurt, consciously keeping his grip loose enough to avoid hurting Kurt. "You—you really think I'm a good person?"

"I know you are," Kurt says firmly. He gently holds Blaine's chin between his fingers and lifts his head so their eyes meet. "Trust me." Kurt smiles softly and Blaine nods a little, smiling shakily.

"Okay."

Later that day, Kurt and Blaine are sitting on the couch watching a movie, Blaine nuzzled into Kurt's side, when the front door opens.

"Blaine, I just talked to Bailey and she said Alec is—oh, hi, Kurt!" Elliott cuts himself off mid-sentence as soon as he rounds the corner and sees Kurt. "Uh, could I talk to Blaine for a minute? Alone?"

Blaine turns and kisses Kurt briefly before getting up and following Elliott into his bedroom. Elliott shuts the door behind them and immediately starts getting after him, whispering harshly. "Blaine! I didn't know he was going to be here! I didn't put my contacts in today so my eyes are still red. He's going to know something's up."

Blaine sighs, preparing for the worst. "Uh, about that… He kind of already knows."

_"__What?" _Elliott's eyes practically bulge out of his head. "How did he find out? I thought you said you weren't going to tell him!"

"I know, I know," Blaine groans. "But things got weird after our date and I already told you about Alec. But apparently he went to talk to Kurt and he put all these ideas in his head, trying to convince Kurt that I was lying to him. At first I tried telling him that Alec was some crazy ex-boyfriend of mine but I don't think he really believed me, so I had to do something. I couldn't risk losing his trust because I can't protect him if I can't keep him close. So he came over and I told him. As it turns out, though, he did his own research and he kind of already suspected it."

Elliott takes a few seconds to absorb it all before sighing. "Okay, I get why you had to tell him. I'm not mad. But what are we going to do now that he knows? Alec can't find out that he knows."

"I know," Blaine says, running his hands through his hair. "I'll figure something out. For now, just let Bailey know that Kurt knows. Tell her to pretend like she doesn't know who Kurt is if Alec comes to her."

"Okay," Elliott nods. He takes a step forward and hugs Blaine tightly, and Blaine reciprocates. He's needed this. "Don't worry. We're not going to let him hurt Kurt."

"I know," Blaine nods. "I don't care if it's the last thing I do. Kurt's going to be safe."

"That's right. I'll see you soon, okay? Let Kurt know what's going on."

Blaine nods and they walk out of the room. "Thanks again, Elliott," Blaine says with a smile.

"Anytime," Elliott nods. He turns to Kurt before he leaves. "It was nice finally meeting you. If you hadn't guessed, I'm the roommate. And I'll be back later. Carry on, you two."

He's gone before Kurt can say anything and Blaine laughs softly before sitting down next to Kurt. "He… does that a lot. So, he knows that you know and I explained to him so he's not upset."

"Why would he be upset?"

"I was supposed to wait a few more days before telling you," Blaine admits. "But I couldn't risk losing your trust. I had to tell you the truth."

Kurt nods and takes his hand. "So, what do we do now?"

Blaine sighs. "I'm still trying to figure that out. The most important thing right now is keeping you safe, which means we have to make sure that Alec doesn't find out that you know about us. If he knows, he'll use it against us and he's not exactly stupid. I don't want to be up against him when he has a plan and we don't. But I also don't want to be up against him physically unless I have Elliott and Bailey to help me. If it's just me against him, I won't be strong enough to beat him."

Kurt rubs Blaine's knuckles gently with his thumb. "And he's stronger because he hunts?" Blaine nods. "Have you ever done it? Hunting, I mean?"

Blaine shakes his head quickly. "Never. After what happened to my parents, I basically exiled myself from civilization for a while. I didn't trust myself to be around people. But I started to get weak, and it got worse the longer I went without feeding. I was close to dying when Elliott found me. At first I didn't want anything to do with him because he hunted, but he convinced me that I had to feed to survive. So I went with him on nights that he hunted and he killed then let me feed until I was strong again. That went on for a few decades and I was disgusted with myself every time. But then I met Bailey and she showed me how to feed without killing. Ever since then, I've just taken what she manages to get from the hospital she works at. I only feed a few times a week. Like I've said, it's not really enough to keep me strong but it's enough to keep me alive."

Blaine scoots closer to Kurt and cups his face with both hands. "I know what you're thinking, and it's very thoughtful, but there's no way I can ever go back to that. I hated myself every single time I fed. I was living but I wasn't really alive."

Kurt brings his hand up to cover Blaine's, a single tear sliding down his cheek. "Blaine… I don't want to lose you. If he's really that much stronger than you, then who's to say you'll come back alive?"

"I'll always come back for you," Blaine promises. "Elliott and Bailey are strong. They're hunters and they can fight. My job is only to keep you safe."

"I thought you said you didn't have a plan," Kurt says with a tearful laugh.

Blaine smiles, kissing Kurt's forehead. "I'll have to talk to Elliott and Bailey first, but I think it'll work best if they are the ones who go after Alec. I don't think Justin will follow Alec because he's never liked Alec's game, so we'll have the advantage. Past that, I just need to keep you as far away from the danger as possible. He won't be able to touch you."

Kurt just nods. He can do nothing but go along with the plan, because if he doesn't then he'll start thinking about how it could all go wrong. He'll start thinking about how he could lose Blaine because of this. And the thought alone terrifies him.

* * *

Later that night, Elliott and Bailey come over to the apartment and Blaine explains what he has in mind. "You two are the only ones who stand a chance against Alec. I'm not strong enough. So I'll need to stay with Kurt while you guys go after Alec. I'll take him as far away as possible until I know it's safe."

Elliott shakes his head. "Blaine, he'll expect you to be with Kurt. He won't go after us when he knows Kurt's with you."

Blaine looks down at Kurt, who is sleeping with his head on Blaine's lap, and he smiles. "Maybe, but he doesn't expect us to be idiots. He's known us for a long time. He'll expect us to be smart about this, which would mean sending Kurt with one or both of you. He also knows that this thing between the two of us is very personal and he'll expect me to come after him. After what he did to Sarah, he'll think that I'm going to go after him alone to try and settle things." He closes his eyes, remembering the woman who was like an older sister to him. Yes, Alec will pay for killing her, but Blaine won't be the one to do it. He's not that stupid. "So we'll throw him off by taking the seemingly obvious path. He doesn't like obvious. He likes entertainment. But we need him to really believe that Kurt is with you, so you'll take a bag of his so he can follow Kurt's scent. And Kurt will wear one of my coats so his scent isn't as noticeable. From there, we run in opposite directions and Alec will follow who he thinks has Kurt, which is you. Then, when he finds you, _kill him_."

After a moment, Bailey nods. "It's a good plan, Blaine. I say we start tonight so he doesn't have time to figure out that Kurt knows. If he knows we told Kurt, then he'll know how to get inside Kurt's head. We can't let that happen."

"You're right," Blaine says. "It has to be tonight. Let's split up and then meet at Kurt's place to pack two bags. One for him and one for you to take his scent with you. We can't let Alec see us, remember."

Elliott and Bailey nod and then leave. Once they're gone, Blaine starts waking up Kurt. "Sweetheart, we have to go now, okay? Wake up." Kurt groans a little and his eyelids flutter open.

"Blaine?" he mumbles.

"It's me, I'm here," Blaine says. "I need you to wake up. We're leaving tonight so we have to go to your apartment and pack."

"M'kay," Kurt murmurs, sitting up and stretching. He kisses Blaine and then Blaine helps him stand up. "Where are Elliott and Bailey?"

"They're already going to your apartment. We have to split up so Alec doesn't find you."

Kurt nods and grabs his coat but Blaine stops him. "No. Wear mine. He won't be able to track your scent that way." Kurt smiles and takes Blaine's coat, slipping it on. Then they leave, walking hand-in-hand to Kurt's apartment.

As Kurt wakes up more and more, he becomes more alert and that quickly turns to anxiety and fear. He has been trying not to think about Alec because he doesn't want to think about losing Blaine, but now he can't think about anything else. Every time he hears someone shouting for a taxi or someone telling someone else to watch where they're going, he jumps. Blaine notices and wraps his arm around Kurt's waist as they walk. It helps a little, but not much.

Kurt packs his own bag while Blaine starts throwing random things into another bag. Anything that would smell like Kurt; his shampoo, his sweatshirt, his lotion, his pillow case. In Kurt's bag, he's only allowed to pack clean clothes and an extra jacket. He also grabs his pepper spray, just in case. He's about to grab his phone off of his nightstand when he sees that it's not there. He frowns and looks around in different drawers and other hiding spots. He can't find it anywhere.

"I can't find my phone," he tells Blaine.

Blaine just grabs his hand and shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. You won't need it anyway. Besides, if you take it, Alec might be able to track you or something. I'll help you find it when we get back," he adds with a smile.

Kurt returns the smile and kisses Blaine. "Okay. Are we ready to go now?"

Blaine looks at the two bags and nods at Elliott and Bailey. They each offer him a smile before Bailey grabs the bag and they leave. Following them is someone Blaine's never met, but he knows it's one of Elliott's friends. His hair somewhat resembles Kurt's and he's about the same height and build. He's glad Elliott thought to find a Kurt look-a-like to fool Alec, because the thought hadn't even crossed Blaine's mind. And judging by the stranger's eyes, he's a vampire, so he might even be able to help Bailey and Elliott when they have to face Alec head-on.

Blaine looks back at Kurt and smiles. "We'll leave soon, my love. First we have to let Alec believe that you're with Elliott and Bailey. Then you and I will start driving towards the coast and we'll wait there until Elliott and Bailey let us know it's safe to come back."

"The coast?" Kurt asks, frowning in confusion.

"Montauk," Blaine clarifies. "It's far enough away that Alec won't follow us unless he knows for sure that he isn't following you by following them up north. He wants to go after you first because he wants to make me suffer by watching you suffer. But his plan isn't going to work," he adds with a pained smile. Kurt nods and leans forward to kiss him. Blaine immediately relaxes against him, gently clutching his waist. "I love you," Blaine whispers after they part. "I swear that I will never let anyone hurt you."

"I don't want anyone to hurt you, either," Kurt says, his eyes roving fearfully over Blaine's face. He reaches up and holds Blaine's face between his hands.

"Don't worry about me," Blaine says firmly, still holding Kurt's waist. "You don't have to worry about anything except staying away from Alec. I'll do the rest."

"I want to help," Kurt says, curling his arms around Blaine's neck. "I feel helpless and I hate knowing that I can't do anything to protect you if something goes wrong."

"We're going to be fine, Kurt," Blaine says confidently. "Our plan is going to work and you're going to be safe, I promise. Just stay with me and you'll be safe."

Kurt stares into his eyes still, distress tugging at his heart. Then, suddenly, he throws his arms around Blaine and hugs him tightly. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Blaine's phone beeps and he pulls it out of his pocket. Kurt pulls away just enough to look at what the message says.

_He bought it. You guys can head out but give it about two minutes. –Elliott _

Blaine smiles at Kurt and kisses him gently. "Let's go."

Kurt grabs his bag with one hand and grabs Blaine's hand with the other, leaving the apartment and walking downstairs where a rental car is waiting.

Let the game begin.

* * *

**A/N: Ooh, things are heating up. If you review, I might update again tonight ;) **

**Until next time! **

**Review please :) **


	6. Games

Chapter 6: Games

* * *

After a few minutes of driving in silence, Kurt reaches out to hold Blaine's hand that is resting upturned on the center console. He laces their fingers together, looking over at his boyfriend. Blaine glances over and sees the distressed look in Kurt's eyes. He squeezes Kurt's hand and turns his attention back to the road. "We're going to be okay," he says. "Alec is following them, not us." He brings their linked hands up to his lips and kisses Kurt's knuckles. "Trust me."

"How do you know that Alec's friend Justin isn't helping him? He could be following us." Kurt glances out the back window as if he'll see a vicious vampire running after them. He gulps and faces forward again, closing his eyes and sinking into his seat a little.

"I've known them for years," Blaine says, shaking his head. "Justin doesn't like conflict. He won't follow us."

"I'm scared, Blaine," Kurt whispers.

Blaine sighs, wishing he could just reach out and hold Kurt. He wishes he could comfort him. But the truth is that he's terrified. He doesn't know what's going to happen and he's just as scared as Kurt. "I know," he says gravely. "I know. Just hang on. I promised I'd keep you safe and I don't intend on breaking that promise." And he will keep his promise. He's just not sure exactly what he'll have to do in order to keep it.

* * *

They've been driving for an hour and Kurt can't help but jump at every little bump in the road. His nerves are shot. He tries to sleep but he can barely close his eyes. He's always prided himself on being strong and unafraid, but that was before he had to face the threat of vampires. Regular, ordinary bullies he can handle. But immortals that are out for his blood, killers who could break him easier than he can break a stick—that terrifies him.

"Are we almost there?" he asks, his voice shaking.

Blaine sends him an apologetic glance. "Not quite. Nearly two hours to go, my love."

Kurt sighs shakily and closes his eyes again. "What if the plan doesn't work?" he whispers.

"It will," Blaine says softly but surely.

"But what if it doesn't?" Kurt repeats forcefully. "He could figure it out and I could lose you forever and I don't think I can cope with that."

Blaine stops the car at the side of the road, getting out and walking around to Kurt's door. Kurt watches him curiously as he opens the door and crouches in front of Kurt. "We can't think like that right now, Kurt," he says softly. "I'll admit that I don't know what's going to happen. But I do know one thing. I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to be right by your side for as long as I need to protect you, and however long you'll have me after that. I've been waiting centuries for you, Kurt; if you think I'm going to let you slip away so easily then you're wrong. And Alec is sorely mistaken if he thinks he can take you away from me now that I've finally found you. He can't touch you and he can't touch us."

"I'm just so scared," Kurt whispers, closing his eyes tightly and letting a few tears fall.

"I am, too," Blaine admits, moving up to sit on the edge of Kurt's seat. He holds Kurt's face between his hands and leans their foreheads together. "But you make me feel brave. And I will do anything and everything in my power to keep you safe. And only because I know it's important to you, I'll try not to get myself into trouble while I'm at it."

Kurt smiles shakily and accepts the kiss that Blaine initiates, pressing closer to Blaine and clinging to him for dear life. They part after a moment and Blaine brushes Kurt's hair out of his face with his fingertips. "I love you," Kurt whispers.

Blaine nods. "I love you, too. We need to keep driving. The further we are away from Alec, the better."

Blaine kisses him once more before walking around the car and sitting in front of the wheel. After that, Kurt actually manages to get some sleep.

* * *

They reach the motel in Montauk a little less than two hours later, checking in and finding their room. Once they set their stuff down, Kurt sits down on the edge of the bed, tense and anxious. Blaine sees him and takes a seat beside him, pulling him into a hug. Kurt sighs and rests his head against Blaine's chest, clutching Blaine's shirt in tight fists. "Relax, darling," Blaine says softly. "You're safe. He's not coming after us."

Kurt clings tighter to Blaine, trying to hold on to the words and believe them. But he just can't. He is scared out of his mind and the only when he knows that Alec is dead will he be able to feel at peace.

A few hours later, Kurt falls asleep on Blaine's chest. He wakes up, though, when he notices Blaine moving to get up. "Blaine," he says, panicked, as he clings to Blaine's waist. "Don't leave me."

"Shh, it's alright," Blaine says. "I'm just going to take a shower, okay? I'll just be ten minutes."

Kurt nods slowly and reluctantly loosens his grip on Blaine, curling into himself under the covers once Blaine leaves the room. At almost the exact same time that he hears the water turn on, he also hears Blaine's phone vibrating on the nightstand. Curious, he sits up and grabs it. He looks at the caller ID and sees his own name and picture, frowning in confusion. Hesitantly, he answers it.

"Hello?"

"Well, isn't this a nice surprise?" says a deep voice. Amused laughter trickles through the speaker.

Kurt gasps and almost drops the phone when he hears the familiarly cold voice. Alec. Kurt's hands start to shake and he swallows thickly. "W-What do you want?"

"I think you know," Alec says lowly. "You see, I don't like being _tricked_," he growls and Kurt's heart skips a beat. "But I'm a forgiving person. And I'm willing to make you a deal. As you know, sweet Blaine is willing to do anything to protect you; even sacrifice himself. And, oh! Isn't a sacrifice so much more _delicious?" _He laughs again. "And I'm willing to compromise. I'll spare your life and all you have to do is tell Blaine that I'm on your trail. He'll come running after me but you and I both know he's not strong enough," he says knowingly.

"No!" Kurt croaks, clearing his throat and wiping the tears from his eyes. "No, please don't hurt him…"

Alec laughs slowly, as if he expected this. "That's what I thought. So how about you meet me at the beach a couple miles from the hotel? Just know I'll be watching if you try to pull something," he warns; his voice is dark and cold. Kurt nods quickly. Somehow he has the feeling that Alec can see him.

"I'll be there," he says shakily. He hangs up the phone and drops it on the bed. With a sudden thought, he grabs a pen and writes something on the notepad by the phone.

_Goodbye, Blaine. I love you and I truly hope you'll forget me someday. I never wanted to hurt you. –Kurt _

It's just vague enough that Blaine won't jump straight to the conclusion that Kurt went to meet Alec. He'll figure it out eventually, Kurt's sure, but he hopes by then it's too late. He doesn't want to think about Alec hurting Blaine, or worse.

Grabbing Blaine's coat and wrapping it around him, he leaves the hotel before Blaine has the chance to hear him leave.

He gets in the rental car and starts it, his hands shaking as he puts the key in the ignition. He grips the steering wheel so tight that his hands turn white. Then he starts driving, crying silently.

He reaches the beach in a few minutes and sees that it's deserted. It is three in the morning, but it still makes Kurt's heart drop. Maybe if there were witnesses, Alec wouldn't do anything. Or maybe he'd kill everyone on the beach.

On second thought, Kurt's glad there's no one here.

Kurt gets out of the car and takes a few steps before he hears a deep voice behind him. He gasps, tensing up. "Hello, Kurt," Alec says. Kurt resists the urge to snap at him for even saying his name; it sounds so wrong coming out of Alec's mouth. "Glad you could make it." Alec moves to stand to Kurt's side and Kurt notices that Alec is just slightly taller than him. Then Alec runs his fingertips down the side of Kurt's face and Kurt flinches away. "Aw, touchy," he says, clicking his tongue.

"Please," Kurt whispers. "Just get it over with."

"But what's the fun in that?" Alec asks, grinning coldly at him. He grabs Kurt and tosses him easily, sending him flying ten years, twenty… Then, in an instant, he's right there to catch Kurt just before he hits the ground. Then he drops Kurt in the sand and laughs lightly as Kurt scoots away as quickly as he can only for his back to run into the cliff side. "Oh, don't be scared," Alec says with mock sincerity. "I just want to have a little _fun." _With the last word, he drops his foot hard onto Kurt's lower leg. Kurt cries out in pain and holds his leg, crying in pained, shortened gasps.

"Please, don't," he begs.

A split second later, Kurt feels Alec's warm breath brushing against the side of his face. He jerks away only to cry out when it jostles his leg. "Mm, I can see the appeal," Alec says, inhaling Kurt's scent. "I see why he chose you. You smell _sinfully _delicious." He runs a hand up Kurt's arm and Kurt spits at his face.

"Don't _touch _me," he hisses.

Alec's eyes go dark with anger and he grabs Kurt's wrist, making Kurt whimper in pain. "You've got some nerve for such a fragile human like yourself," he growls. He holds Kurt's arm in both of his hands, bringing it up to his mouth and exhaling. "Mm, I'm so tempted to have a taste," he says. "Blaine would hate me even more if I turned you. But I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to stop."

Kurt tries in vain to pull away from him, crying out again as his broken leg shifts. _"__No,"_ he manages through his teeth.

"On second thought, maybe one bite couldn't hurt," Alec says with a maniacal grin. He bears his teeth and leans in closer. Kurt closes his eyes to prepare himself, but he doesn't feel any bite. He opens his eyes again and sees that Alec is no longer next to him. He sits up a little in surprise, looking around. Then he sees his explanation.

"Don't ever touch him again!" Blaine growls, having thrown Alec into the cliff wall when he wasn't expecting it. "I won't let you hurt him anymore." He surges forward and holds Alec up against the rock with his hand around Alec's neck.

Alec laughs. "Look who showed up just in time, Prince Charming. But it doesn't matter. You and I both know that you're _weak_," he hisses. "It's no use."

"I'm strong enough to kill you," Blaine says through gritted teeth, throwing Alec to the ground and glaring angrily at him. Alec jumps up, though, just before Blaine can grab him again. In the blink of an eye, the roles are reversed and Alec has Blaine pressed into the rock. He jabs Blaine into the uneven surface over and over again, Blaine groaning every time.

"Stop it!" Kurt screams, wishing he wasn't so helpless with his broken leg and inability to walk at the moment. "Stop hurting him!"

Alec looks over at him and a smirk sweeps over his face. He shoves Blaine to the ground and Blaine doesn't move for a moment, panting. Alec takes the time that Blaine is on the ground to dash over to Kurt. "I almost forgot about you," he says with an evil smile. Then he stomps on Kurt's broken leg again, eliciting a scream of pain out of Kurt, and pushes Kurt backwards so he hits his head on the rock behind him.

He's unconscious before he even falls to the ground, and then everything goes black.

* * *

**A/N: Phew! That was a tough chapter to write. And… another cliffhanger. Sorry! You've all been so wonderful; I don't know why I keep doing this to you. **

**Until next time! **

**Review please :)**


	7. Urges

Chapter 7: Urges

* * *

When Kurt wakes up, it's to the sound of beeping above his head. He tries to open his eyes and whimpers a little, his head pounding. He tries again and blinks once before closing them again and whining softly. _It hurts, it hurts, everything hurts…_

He feels the bed dip to his right and a warm hand touches his. "Kurt? Darling, are you in pain? I'm right here, my love, I promise."

Kurt sighs softly, his stiff muscles relaxing at the sound of that soothingly familiar voice. "Bla—"

He's cut off by a coughing fit. His throat is dry and his head feels like it is being stabbed each time he coughs.

"Shh, shh, darling, drink this," the sweet voice says again and Kurt feels the bed beneath him shift so he's sitting up a little. He feels something cool press against his lip and he takes a gulp of the water. "That's it. You don't need to speak if it hurts. Can you open your eyes for me?"

He empties the water cup in a few gulps and whimpers when he hears the request. He tries to shake his head but that just makes it hurt worse and he feels a few hot tears running down his face. "It hurts," he croaks, coughing a few more times.

"I know, my love, I know," he says, leaning down to kiss Kurt's forehead. Kurt sniffles a few times and flexes his fingers around the warm hand sitting in his. "The nurse came in just before you went to sleep to give you some medicine for the pain; it'll kick in soon. Just please open your eyes. Please look at me."

Kurt tries again to open his eyes and after a few failed attempts he manages to just peek out from under his heavy eyelids. He blinks blearily until he can see a bit more clearly. He tilts his head just slightly so he can look at the beautiful face of his boyfriend. "Blaine," he whispers.

Blaine smiles softly but he looks troubled. Kurt frowns. He wants to figure out how to clear away all the pain and sorrow in Blaine's eyes. "It's good to see you awake, beautiful," he says softly. "Do you remember anything that happened?"

Kurt searches his memory and clears his throat before saying in a raspy voice, "I remember going to meet Alec because he said he'd hurt you if I didn't. And my leg…" He attempts to shift his right leg and winces in pain. "That hurts, too." He pauses for a moment. "Did I hit my head?"

Blaine nods. "Y-Yeah… You did. But there's more, um…" he trails off. "After you went unconscious, I went a little crazy. I charged Alec but he just threw me to the side. I knew I wasn't strong enough…" His voice breaks and he ducks his head, unsuccessfully fighting tears. A few manage to roll down his long eyelashes. "I tried to get to you but… I was too late. Alec… Alec bit you," he whispers. Kurt's eyes widen in surprise and Blaine continues before he can say anything. "Elliott and Bailey got there a few minutes later, but I knew it was too late. I ran to you and they killed Alec while I tried to do something… _anything _to save you…"

"Wait," Kurt says, frowning. "So… I'm a vampire?" Blaine nods, looking guilty. "But why is that a bad thing? I'm still here, aren't I? And if I'm an immortal, why does my head hurt so much? And my leg?"

"It's… it's like this phantom pain," Blaine tries to explain. "Your leg healed itself after you turned and your headache is probably the venom taking its time to completely sink in. But once it reached your heart, there was no turning back." He pauses, moving to sit in the chair next to Kurt's bed. "I… I'm so sorry, Kurt," he whispers brokenly, crying as he looks up at Kurt. "I should have just stayed away from you like Elliott told me to after we met. I should never have risked putting you in so much danger. And now I've put your family in danger as well…"

"My family?" Kurt repeats, confused. "What do they have anything to do with this?"

Blaine sighs. "The hospital had to call your dad, and Elliott had to explain to him that they weren't allowing visitors. So he doesn't know I'm in here. I… Kurt, you can't risk being around your dad, not yet. You… You'll hurt him just like I hurt my parents," he chokes out, letting his head fall forward so his forehead rests on their joined hands. "I'm so sorry, Kurt… I'm so sorry I couldn't save you…"

Kurt's speechless. He has no idea what to say. He wants to comfort Blaine but at the same time his mind is running in circles because he has no idea how long it will be before he can see his dad again, if he will ever be able to. He's still in shock because _holy crap I'm a vampire. _He doesn't know what to feel.

But he knows he has to do _something _because he can't just let Blaine cry hopelessly into the sheets of the hospital bed. "Blaine… it's okay," he says softly, squeezing Blaine's hand. "I'm not upset with you. It's not your fault. None of this is your fault. I'm the one who went after Alec because I was stupid and thought that maybe if he killed _me_ he wouldn't try to hurt _you_. But I realized that it didn't matter. He was going to kill us both anyway. And he probably would have if Elliott and Bailey hadn't shown up." Blaine finally looks up at him, fresh tears in his eyes. "It's going to be okay," Kurt says, smiling softly. "I'll learn how to feed like you do and I'll learn how to control my instincts. And I know you wouldn't let me hurt anyone."

"I wouldn't want you to have to live with that on your shoulders," Blaine says, sniffling. "You're such a good person, Kurt... I don't want this to ruin you like it ruined me."

"You aren't ruined," Kurt says fiercely, squeezing Blaine's hand. "You're perfect just the way you are. You're a _good person_, Blaine. I promise."

Blaine starts crying again with renewed fervor, leaning forward to rest his head on Kurt's shoulder. Kurt reaches to pull him closer and Blaine takes that as his cue to crawl onto the narrow bed and cuddle up next to Kurt. He clings to Kurt, glad that he at least doesn't have to worry about hurting Kurt with a too-tight grip. So far, though, that's the only advantage to Kurt's immortality that Blaine can see. He no longer has to worry about accidentally hurting Kurt. "I'm barely even a person, Kurt," he says once his cries are reduced to occasional sniffles and hitched breaths. It breaks Kurt's heart. "Can… can we stop talking about me? I want to know how you're feeling about this."

Reluctantly, Kurt agrees to go along with the subject change. But this isn't over, he knows. He'll be talking to Blaine more about his feelings of inadequacy later.

"Fine," he says. He shifts so he can wrap his arm around Blaine's shoulders, pulling him close and kissing his hair. "To be honest, I don't know what to feel right now. I understand why it isn't safe for me to see my family, but it still sucks. Otherwise, I honestly don't feel any different. Maybe immortality suits me, hm?" He smiles at Blaine, trying to lighten the mood, but Blaine just looks at him like a kicked puppy.

"It's not funny," he says. "I hate that I let this happen to you. You deserve a real life. But this… this isn't living."

Kurt brings his hand up to cup Blaine's face, kissing his forehead. Blaine closes his eyes and leans into the touch, sighing shakily. "Remember when you said that you weren't living until you met me? Well the same goes for me. Before I met you, I was just working in a diner, trying to pay the bills. You made me feel like myself again. So maybe this… this life isn't really living. But as long as I'm with you, I think maybe it's something worth fighting for."

"I'll fight with everything I have to stay with you," Blaine says, quiet but fierce. He opens his eyes again and leans up to kiss Kurt passionately yet briefly. "I love you, Kurt. And… perhaps you're right. Well… immortality looks good on you. I think it suits you nicely. I'm just worried about the side effects of your instincts. That's why I only let the nurse in while you were sleeping. I didn't want you to have to fight your urges so early on."

"I appreciate that," Kurt says with a fond smile. He kisses Blaine, his eyes fluttering shut as Blaine scoots up to get a better angle. He feels Blaine holding the side of his face, his fingers except for his thumb tangling into Kurt's hair. Kurt hums eagerly against his lips and moves his hands to Blaine's hair, pulling him closer. He's never kissed Blaine like this. Blaine has always been worried about hurting him if they get carried away, but now he doesn't have to worry. Now he gives Kurt everything he has, putting it all into that kiss. Now he holds on to Kurt like he needs him to survive. Perhaps Kurt can get used to being immortal if it means that Blaine will stop handling him like a glass doll.

After a few moments, they break apart but they don't let go of each other. Blaine stares intensely into Kurt's eyes and opens his mouth to say something but Kurt beats him to it. "I love you."

Blaine smiles adoringly. He seems to have finally relaxed, at least a little. "I love you, too. I have never known what love could be before meeting you. But now I know for certain that I'll always love you, for all of eternity and past that."

Kurt grins at him, leaning their foreheads together. "I love that you still talk like that. You don't do it often but I love when I notice it."

Blaine looks at him, confused. "Talk like what?"

Kurt giggles a little, pecking his lips. "Like you're from the eighteen hundreds," he explains. "And, I mean, you _are _but I sometimes forget. But then you say something like that and I remember. I love when you call me _darling _or _my love_. And I love when you talk like a character from a Shakespearean romance."

Blaine gazes fondly at him, brushing his thumb lightly over Kurt's cheekbone. "Well, my darling, I'm glad that you like it. I guess I'll stop trying to wrack my brain for what a modern person might say."

Kurt laughs and wraps his arms around Blaine's shoulders. "Yes, I think that's a good idea. I'd love it if you would be my Romeo."

Blaine's smile spreads into a grin when he hears Kurt's laughter. "You have the most beautiful laugh, Kurt."

Kurt smiles shyly and touches Blaine's cheek, noticing that his skin is warm. He frowns a little, because he remembers it being cold a few minutes ago. "Blaine… Why is your skin warm sometimes and other times it's cold?"

Blaine seems surprised by the question but he shrugs a little. "I don't really know. I think it changes with my emotions, but there's not much of a pattern to it beyond that. When I'm happy it gets warm. When I'm scared or worried it gets cold. I used to think it had to do with negative and positive emotions, but when I'm angry it gets really warm so… I don't know. As far as I know, I'm the only one that does it. I don't know what it means."

Kurt's silent for a moment, thinking. He watches Blaine's eyes and smiles when he sees that they're a pretty hazel color right now. "I think… I think it's your body trying to keep some part of your human self," he says quietly. "I think your eyes are the same way. Because you don't hunt, your eyes are usually hazel. They only turn red when your instincts are fighting your conscience. That's how I know you aren't a monster, Blaine," he adds seriously, needing Blaine to understand. "You think you're a horrible person and some kind of monster, but a monster wouldn't go against everything in their instincts in order to protect people. A monster wouldn't save someone's life and then fuss over them because they think they've ruined them.

"But you do all those things," he continues, catching and holding Blaine's gaze. "You resisted everything that your instincts told you to do because you didn't want to hurt me. You refuse to hunt because you know it's wrong. You never hurt me even though you could have and your body wanted you to. And not only did you not hurt me, but you also saved my life. If you hadn't arrived when you did, Alec would have killed me and then he would've gone after you. But you fought him even though you knew you could get hurt, and you saved me. It doesn't matter that he turned me, because you stopped him from taking me away from you. You haven't ruined me. You've made me stronger and so much happier than I've ever been in my life. I'm happy and it's because of you."

Blaine's quiet for a while, staring at Kurt in shock. After taking a minute to gather his thoughts, he says, "I love you so much, Kurt," and he kisses Kurt.

And Kurt knows, right then, that they're going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. Somehow he just knows it.

* * *

An hour later, Blaine calls Elliott to ask him to distract Burt so they can leave. So Elliott and Bailey take Burt to get some coffee in the café—he hasn't slept since he arrived at the hospital in Montauk—and Kurt and Blaine get ready quickly so they can leave before Burt notices. Kurt knows he'll have to call his dad at some point to make up an explanation for why he can't see him, but right now he needs to worry about keeping his dad safe.

So they drive back to the hotel to grab Kurt's stuff and then they start driving back to New York. Blaine was reluctant to take him back to the crowded city at first, but Kurt convinced him that he needed to pack a real suitcase if they were going away for a long time.

Once they reach Kurt's apartment, Kurt goes to open the door but Blaine stops him. "Kurt, wait," he says. "Just… let me get out first so I can walk you to the door. You haven't really experienced the full effect of your urges yet, but you will if you go out onto the busy sidewalk by yourself. Well, you'll experience it anyway, but at least I'll be able to help you. Believe me; I know how hard it is." Kurt nods and waits for Blaine to walk around the car and open his door for him. He wraps his arm around Kurt's waist tightly, keeping him close. "Just be glad it's not windy today," he whispers in Kurt's ear. They start walking towards Kurt's apartment building and Kurt immediately tenses up, clinging to Blaine.

"Blaine," he grunts through gritted teeth. "I smell it… I-I can't… _Hurry_."

Blaine pulls him quickly towards the building and tugs him inside and towards the stairs. "We're almost there, my love. It's alright, I promise."

They pass someone on the stairs and their shoulder brushes against Kurt's. Kurt clings tighter to Blaine and buries his face in Blaine's shirt to muffle a sob. "Blaine, _I can't!" _

"Yes, you can," Blaine tells him. "Just a few more steps. You're doing wonderful. Just focus on me. I'm right here, okay?"

Kurt nods, stiff and breathing erratically next to Blaine.

"It helps if you hold your breath," Blaine advises. Kurt tries it, but he feels like he's suffocating. He knows he doesn't _need _to breathe—Blaine told him how he held his breath for the majority of the time he spent with Kurt at first—but it's a human habit. He can't help it. He doesn't need the air but he needs to breathe.

"I can't," Kurt mutters, letting out a panicked breath. "I can't, Blaine, _I can't." _

"Shh, it's alright, we're here," Blaine tells him, leading him inside the apartment. He locks the door behind them and guides Kurt to the couch, sitting down with him. Kurt immediately throws his arms around Blaine, sobbing into his shoulder.

"It hurts," he cries. His fingers dig desperately into Blaine's back but Blaine just holds him closer, rubbing his back soothingly. He shifts so they're lying down, Kurt half on top of him. "It hurts, Blaine, _it hurts!" _he sobs.

Blaine kisses his hair and whispers to him. "I know it does. I know. It'll get easier, I promise. It's going to be okay, Kurt."

Blaine realizes that this is going to be a lot harder than he ever imagined.

* * *

**A/N: Yay, a chapter! Hope you guys like it :)**

**Someone suggested that I should have Kurt lose his memory and stay with Alec for a while before finding Blaine, but… I'm not ****_that _****evil. Hehe. **

**Until next time! **

**Review please :)**


	8. Adjustments

Chapter 8: Adjustments

* * *

Kurt falls asleep soon after they lie down on the couch, and Blaine's grateful that Kurt doesn't seem to have the same problem with nightmares that Blaine's always had. He stirs every now and then, his instincts making it hard to stay still, but mostly he remains peaceful in Blaine's embrace.

Blaine knows where they need to go. He can only think of one place where Kurt will be free from his urges and where he can start learning to control them. The only problem is Kurt's dad and what they're going to tell them. He doesn't know Kurt's dad well, so he has no idea how he would react to Kurt dropping out of civilization for a few months. But he knows that Kurt will most likely have an idea of what to do. He just needs to wait until Kurt can think with a clear head, free from the constant burning in his veins that comes with resisting the urge to feed and kill.

Finally, after sleeping for about an hour, Kurt wakes up. As soon as he becomes aware of himself again, he tenses up and clings to Blaine, burying his face in Blaine's chest. Blaine holds him and kisses his forehead. "Shh, it's all right," he soothes. "I've got you."

"Please don't let me hurt them," Kurt says softly. "I don't want to hurt anybody. We can't stay here."

"I know," Blaine says softly, rubbing Kurt's back subconsciously. "We're going to go somewhere far away as soon as you're ready to go. But we've got all the time in the world, my love."

Kurt deflates a little, relieved, and nuzzles into Blaine's chest. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Blaine says with a smile. "Do you feel better now that the scent isn't so strong?"

Kurt nods. "Yeah. It was just… overwhelming, being around so many people so suddenly. But it just smells like coffee now that we've been in here for a while."

"That's good," Blaine nods. "I'm sorry it was so bad, darling. When my urges were at their worst, I lost all sense of right and wrong. All I could think was that I needed to feed. You did so well, though. I can't begin to imagine how hard it was to resist."

"I couldn't have done it without you," Kurt says seriously, looking up at him. "I'm not strong enough."

"You don't always have to be strong," Blaine tells him. "That's why you've got me, to help you when you lack your usual strength."

Kurt nods. "I'm glad I have you, Blaine," he whispers.

"I'm glad, too," Blaine says, smiling softly. "Do you want to pack your own bag or should I start while you rest?"

"I can do it," Kurt says, slowly sitting up. It takes him by surprise how strong and _sturdy _he feels physically, when mentally he's exhausted. He stands up smoothly and walks to the bathroom. He wants to take a shower and take some time to clear his mind, and he's glad that Blaine seems to understand that without having to ask. Just as he closes the door behind him, he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror and he jumps, startled.

Tentatively, he turns towards the mirror, walking closer and gazing at the full-body reflection. He stares, wide-eyed, at his face. The first thing that pops out is the color of his eyes; deep, silky red. He parts his lips and turns his head to the side a little, staring in fascination at the fangs that have grown in. He doesn't even look like himself. He's paler than ever, and his skin is as smooth and clear as marble; seemingly fare and fragile although he knows it's practically indestructible except at the mercy of another immortal.

And it's that thought that makes his breath catch in his throat. He's immortal. He's going to remain perfectly in his youth for the rest of eternity. He's never going to grow old; he's never going to die of natural causes; he's never going to watch as Blaine outlives him…

The thought never crossed his mind before, but now it's all he can focus on. He will stay young and strong with Blaine for years to come, perhaps even decades or centuries. He'll never have to leave the world without Blaine by his side. He's not sure when he became so certain that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Blaine, but now he knows and he gets a thrill at the thought that he _can_. He can spend lifetimes with Blaine and never have to give it up. He doesn't want to give it up.

He focuses his gaze back on the mirror and finds himself grinning. He's never felt stronger than in that very moment. Yes, immortality definitely suits him, he thinks. He just needs to get used to it, that's all. And he can definitely get used to the idea of spending centuries with Blaine, never saying goodbye.

As it turns out, he doesn't need a shower to think more clearly. He knows exactly what he wants—_who _he wants—and that person is sitting in the very next room. Kurt walks out of the bathroom with a small smile on his face, walking towards Blaine who stands in the living room looking out the window. Kurt grabs him from behind and spins him around, pulling the shorter man flush against his chest. Blaine's eyes are wide with surprise and he wraps his arms around Kurt's neck.

"Kurt, what—"

Kurt cuts him off with a kiss, a thrill running through him at how good it feels to be able to do this without any worries or cares. He doesn't have to worry about Blaine holding back. He doesn't have to worry about anything anymore. All he has to do is kiss Blaine and love him with everything he has.

They break apart after a moment and Blaine stares at Kurt with wide eyes for a moment before smiling. "What was that for?"

"I just realized that I never want to say goodbye to you and I never have to," Kurt says with a grin. "Now that I'm immortal, we can be together without worrying about the future."

"Oh," Blaine says, laughing happily. "Well, if I get to kiss you like that for the rest of my existence, I'll be the happiest man on Earth."

"I rather like being able to kiss you without needing to stop for breath," Kurt says, darting forward once to kiss below Blaine's ear. He kisses along Blaine's cheek and then pecks his lips, his eyes bright. "We should lie down for a bit before we leave." His smile fades just slightly. "I'm not ready to go out there again… not yet."

Blaine nods in understanding grabs Kurt's hand, following him to Kurt's bedroom. They lie down on Kurt's bed and Kurt sighs as he cuddles up to Blaine and rests his head on his chest. Blaine wraps his arm around Kurt's back, smiling softly down at his boyfriend. He smiles even more when Kurt reaches for his other hand and laces their fingers together on Blaine's stomach. "I love you," he whispers.

"I love you, too," Kurt says with a smile.

It's barely ten minutes later that Blaine is fast asleep, peaceful and calm with Kurt at his side. Kurt is able to relax as well until he starts thinking about the fact that he'll have to face the excruciating lure of his instincts, and very soon. He hates that he came so close to hurting someone—to killing them—when they were walking up the stairs. He can't let that happen. What if the next time is more than a close call? What if Blaine can't stop him from doing something he'll regret?

He vaguely remembers what Blaine told him about holding his breath. He tried before but he couldn't do it, but he wonders if it just takes some practice. Curious, he climbs out of bed carefully so as not to wake Blaine, then walks towards the bathroom connected to his bedroom. He closes the door behind him and turns on water in the tub. He waits a few minutes until the tub is full and then slips inside after taking off his clothes.

He lies down, completely submerged in the warm water, and holds his breath. After about a minute, he feels an imaginary ache in his chest, telling him he needs to breathe. He ignores it, sternly reminding himself that he doesn't; he doesn't need the air. However, after another thirty seconds he can't fight it anymore. He emerges from the water, gasping and choking and spluttering. Then he runs a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated groan. He can do this. He knows he can. So why are his human habits making him weak?

He tries again, and again, and again, but he can only stay under for about two minutes. He knows that it's barely enough to make it down the stairs and into the car. He needs to keep practicing. After a few more failed attempts, he's feeling discouraged and frustrated. That's when he gets an idea. He gets out of the tub and grabs the belt of his robe. He steps into the tub again and slips the belt through the hole in the drain—the part the blocks the water is lower down so the tub remains filled to the rim with water. Once it's secured, he ties each end around one of his wrists, as tight as he can, crossed over his torso as he lies on his back. This way, he'll be forced to stay down and he won't let his mind trick his body into coming up for air.

He's fine for the first three minutes or so, even though the ache in his chest created by his mind still burns and makes his entire body scream for air. He can almost ignore it if he simply closes his eyes and tries to sleep. Unfortunately, it can't be that simple. He loses focus and gives in to the ache in his chest. He gasps, sucking in a huge mouthful of water, and promptly starts coughing. He panics and he can't think straight. _I need air, I need air, I need air…_

He starts thrashing in his panic as more water is sucked in and swallowed. "Blaine!" he cries out, but it's gargled and unintelligible through the water. He needs to calm down, he knows he does. He's not dying. But his panic only increases and he is hit with the sudden realization that he could be in here for hours until Blaine wakes up and finds him. He won't die but he'll be all alone and scared and _trapped _and he can't do anything about it. He's tried pulling free from his self-made bonds, but the knot and the metal are strong and he's not at a good angle to actually pull his hands free.

He continues to thrash in the suffocating water, hoping for some kind of escape. _I'm dying, I'm dying… _He knows he's not, but his mind has already convinced his body that he is. _I'm dying…_

Suddenly, he feels himself being freed from the ties around his wrists and then he's not underwater anymore, gasping in air and sobbing into a warm neck. He feels himself being pulled out of the water by strong arms and then a soft, warm blanket—maybe a robe?—is wrapped around him. He hears a familiar voice and he clings to his savior as he continues coughing and choking on all the water he swallowed. "Shh, darling, it's all right," Blaine tells him softly, rocking him back and forth and carrying him to his bed. As soon as Blaine sets him down, Kurt reaches for Blaine and pulls him down next to him, sobbing into his shoulder. "What were you doing, my love?"

"H-Holding—Holding m-m-my b-b-b-breath," Kurt answers, shivering and hyperventilating in his panicky state. His mind is playing tricks on his body and he _hates it_. "I needed p-practice…"

"Oh, sweetheart," Blaine sighs, holding him closer. "You don't have to hurt yourself to practice. It'll take some time before you can hold your breath for a long time."

Frustrated with himself, Kurt chokes out a noise that's half sob and half groan. "I…" he takes a few deep breaths to calm down a little before he speaks. "I tried… I told myself that I was fine, that I wouldn't die and it was just my mind. But then I tried to breathe while I was underwater and I panicked… I didn't know… I was just…" he trails off, unsure how to voice his thoughts. He sits up shakily and moves to the edge of the bed while Blaine kneels tentatively behind him. "Maybe immortality doesn't suit me as well as I thought."

Blaine puts a hand on Kurt's shoulder and Kurt looks to the side to see Blaine's face, creased with worry. He wraps his robe tighter around himself and watches silently as Blaine moves to stand beside him, brushing his fingertips over Kurt's cheek tenderly. "It suits you beautifully, my darling," Blaine says. "You're more radiant than you've ever been, Kurt. I know it's difficult to adjust, but you're already further along than most I've met who were in your similar position. You're amazing, Kurt, and I'm so lucky and proud to be in love with someone so strong and so beautiful."

Kurt has tears in his eyes and Blaine leans in to kiss him sweetly, holding his face in both hands. Kurt covers one of Blaine's hands with his own, kissing back slowly and shutting his eyes. "We should go soon," he says when they break apart. "I just need to pack my bags."

"You're sure you're ready?" Blaine asks, so concerned and lovely that Kurt can't help but smile.

"No, but whether I am or not we need to leave." He tilts his head slightly, narrowing his eyes curiously. "You still haven't told me where we're going."

Blaine smiles. "That's a secret."

Kurt laughs softly. "Okay, then. In that case, there's no time to lose. The suspense is killing me."

Blaine rolls his eyes fondly at the sarcasm in Kurt's voice. "All right, let's pack," he says with a laugh.

"All right," Kurt agrees.

So, they pack four bags together—Blaine left some of his belongings at Kurt's apartment just in case so they have plenty of clothes for both of them. Three are for clothes and one is for toiletries and other things such as books and laptops for entertainment.

"Let's go," Kurt says with a little nod. Blaine kisses him before grabbing the bags.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, I promise," Blaine says. The plan is for Blaine to take the bags down to the car and then come back so he can help Kurt get through the crowd of people.

Once Blaine leaves, Kurt sits down on the couch and hugs a pillow, trying to see how long he can hold his breath. He can get to about two minutes, which frustrates him.

Blaine comes back a few minutes later and Kurt jumps when the door opens. Once he sees Blaine, though, he runs to him in a flash of light and clutches at his shirt while Blaine hugs his waist. They walk through the door and Kurt starts to hold his breath, tensing and holding tightly to Blaine. They walk quickly down the stairs and Kurt feels his lungs burn with the annoying need for oxygen. They're about to reach the door when the doorman stops them, frowning.

"Excuse me," he says dubiously. "I noticed you coming in last night, Kurt, and I noticed how tense you were. Was this man bothering you?"

Kurt clings tighter to Blaine and shakes his head, forcing a quick smile. He can't hold his breath much longer. Blaine smiles politely at the man and says, "We're fine, sir. I was just helping him through a rough night. Thank you." With that, they leave, walking away quickly. Kurt whines softly and tries to hold his breath just a little longer. _No, no, no… Not now… _

But right as they walk out onto the busy sidewalk, Kurt gasps involuntarily, breathing in quick, frantic pants and falling forward to the ground. "No, no, no," he mutters quickly, ignoring the annoyed shouts of protest from passing strangers.

"Shh, Kurt, I've got you," Blaine whispers, suddenly right by his ear. Kurt turns and buries his face in Blaine's shirt, unable to feel any embarrassment when Blaine picks him up and carries him through the crowd, settling him into the passenger seat. As soon as he shuts Kurt's door, he runs around to the driver side and slips into the seat, starting the car quickly. Once they're on the road and the scent of Blaine fills Kurt's nostrils, he can finally relax.

Blaine only wishes that he could make things easier for Kurt without taking him away from his home. But, at the moment, this is the best option. The only option, really. It's the only way to keep Kurt happy and to keep everyone around him safe.

With that thought in mind—particularly Kurt's happiness—Blaine drives faster, only one destination in his sights. He needs to keep Kurt safe.

* * *

**A/N: Yay, an update! I've missed writing this story! And next chapter you'll find out where they're going :) I know this was pretty angsty, but that's going to be the norm for a while, at least in the bigger picture. But things will get better, I promise! **

**Until next time!**

**Review please :)**


	9. Not A Vacation

Chapter 9: Not A Vacation

* * *

They drive for about two hours before the car pulls to a stop and Blaine nudges Kurt awake. Kurt opens his eyes and looks around, scanning the area for any signs to tell him where they are. "Montauk again?"

"We aren't staying," Blaine says, already getting out of the car and grabbing their bags. Kurt gets out, glad that there's no one around, and insists on helping carry the bags. Blaine hands him one of the four—not because he underestimates Kurt, but because he has no trouble carrying the bags and there's no reason to hand them over—and starts walking down a dirt path. Kurt follows, still confused as to what they're doing here.

"Blaine?" Blaine stops walking and turns around, giving Kurt his full attention.

"Yes, my love?"

Kurt smiles a little at the nickname. "Can I know where we're going now?"

Blaine kisses his cheek and shakes his head. "Soon," he answered. "Just trust me."

It frustrates Kurt, not knowing, but he _does _trust Blaine. He can wait a little bit longer. "Okay. I trust you."

Blaine smiles and then continues walking down the trail. It leads to a shore where land meets ocean and Kurt's eyes are immediately drawn to the small plane floating on the water a few yards out.

"Blaine!" There is a man standing on the left wing of the plane and he jumps to shore—he is definitely a vampire if he can jump like that. Kurt doesn't recognize him but Blaine obviously does.

"Hey, Isaac," Blaine says, smiling and hugging the man with his free arm. "Thank you for doing this. I'm sorry it was such short notice."

"Anything for you, Blaine," Isaac says with a grin. "You know you're like my little brother."

Blaine nods and thanks him again when Isaac takes the bags in Blaine's hands and jumps back onto the plane to load their stuff into it. The plane is obviously private with how small it is, but it's nice. Kurt smiles as Blaine walks over to him. He takes the bag in Kurt's hand and tosses it to Isaac before turning back to Kurt and kissing him sweetly. "I love you."

Kurt's smile widens. "I love you, too. So, a private plane, huh?"

Blaine shrugs and smiles as Kurt pulls him into a hug. "I have friends who can offer certain favors. I've known Isaac for decades, so he's willing to help."

Kurt kisses him again but pulls away when Isaac walks over to them. Isaac grins and brushes his hands off. "It's all ready for you."

"Thank you, Isaac," Blaine says, shifting so he has one arm wrapped around Kurt's waist as they stand side-by-side. "I'll have it back to you in… a few weeks, at most."

"Take your time, Blaine," Isaac says, patting Blaine's shoulder. "Good luck."

With that, Isaac leaves. Kurt turns to Blaine, frowning in confusion. "Wait, I thought he was going to fly the plane."

Blaine shrugs. "I figured I might as well do it because we'll need a way to get back eventually."

"I didn't know you could fly a plane," Kurt says after a moment.

Blaine grins, bringing his hand up to hold Kurt's head gently in his palm; his thumb brushes Kurt's cheek as his other fingers rest on the back of Kurt's neck. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me," he says softly. "And I can't wait to show all of it to you."

Blaine turns his head so his breath hits Kurt's cheek, closing his eyes and enjoying the intimate moment of closeness. Kurt exhales shakily and holds Blaine closer.

"We should go," Blaine says.

"Yeah," Kurt whispers. "Yeah, we should."

Breaking apart reluctantly, they jump to the rope ladder at the entrance of the plane and climb inside. Once the ladder is pulled inside and the door is closed, Blaine heads to the cockpit and takes a seat in the pilot's chair. Kurt stands beside him, glancing over the various buttons and switches. "Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?"

Blaine laughs. "I've done this about twenty times now. I know what I'm doing. You can sit down if you want; in here or out there, whichever is most comfortable." Blaine turns and smiles gently at him.

Kurt glances at the co-pilot chair before smiling and taking a seat. "I'll sit in here with you."

Blaine nods, smile still in place, before turning to the controls and preparing for take-off. Once they're in the air and flying smoothly, Blaine says, "I love you… so much. You know that, right?"

Kurt looks over at him, tilting his head curiously. "Of course I know. And I love you, too. Why do you ask?"

Blaine sighs. "I just want you to know that I'm only doing this because I love you and I want you to be happy. I know it must be terrible being away from your family, but it isn't safe for you or for them. I just want to make sure you don't go through what I went through."

"I know," Kurt says softly. "You know, I'm not the only one who's struggling here and we both know it. I want you to know that you don't have to be strong if you just need to talk or… anything else you need. I'm here for you."

Blaine smiles small, nodding. "I know… Thank you, Kurt. I'm fine, though. Honestly."

Kurt nods, staying quiet for a moment before asking, "How long until we get there?" He yawns and Blaine smiles sympathetically.

"Almost three hours," Blaine says. "You can sleep if you're tired."

Kurt smiles and shifts into a more comfortable position on the chair, closing his eyes and yawning again. "Love you," he murmurs. A few minutes later, he's asleep. It's been a long week and he's exhausted, so he needs the rest.

Once the plane is set on its course and autopilot is turned on, Blaine is able to take a break and carry Kurt to one of the more comfortable chairs in the main area of the plane. A few of the chairs recline so he lays Kurt down in one of those and pulls the lever on the side so the chair is laid back and its footrest is out. Kurt smiles in his sleep and rolls onto his side, sighing contentedly. Blaine smiles adoringly at him and kisses his forehead before going back to his own seat.

While their reasons for leaving New York aren't the most ideal, Blaine is definitely looking forward to spending a few weeks with Kurt without having to worry about anything else. This would be good for them.

* * *

Once the plane has landed safely, Blaine goes to wake up Kurt. "Kurt, darling, we're here," he says gently, shaking Kurt's shoulders a bit. Kurt leans into the touch and hums sleepily, a smile on his face. "Wake up, honey," Blaine says with a smile.

"Mm, Blaine?" Kurt murmurs, blinking his eyes open. His sleepy smile widens when he sees Blaine's face. "Hi. How long was I sleeping?"

"Almost two hours," Blaine tells him.

"Oh," Kurt says. "I don't know why I'm so tired lately…"

Blaine smiles fondly. "You aren't, not really. It's just another human habit that's hard to break. Technically, we don't even need sleep. It's just nice to feel human for a while. I would do it more often if it weren't for the nightmares." His smile stiffens and he squeezes Kurt's shoulder lightly. "Speaking of sleep, let's go inside and put our things in the bedroom."

Kurt nods, reaching out to grab Blaine's hand, squeezing softly as a silent reassurance. As they stand up, Kurt steps closer and kisses Blaine, wrapping his arms around Blaine's shoulders. Blaine holds his waist and sighs into the kiss, his stiff muscles relaxing as Kurt pulls him closer. When they break the kiss, Blaine buries his face in Kurt's shoulder, clinging to him. "I love you," Kurt says softly, holding him and rubbing his back.

Blaine nods slightly. "I love you," he murmurs into Kurt's shirt.

"Let's go inside, okay? You can give me a tour."

Blaine lifts his head and smiles small, pecking Kurt's lips before grabbing two of their bags and opening the door of the plane. Kurt grabs the other two and they hop onto the shore. Blaine sets the bags down for a moment and pulls the plane onto the beach with ease, only delaying a few seconds, before he slings the bags over his shoulders and leads Kurt inside with a smile.

Once their bags are sitting at the foot of the king-size bed, Kurt begins to wander the house silently. Blaine follows him, smiling when Kurt grabs his hand and swings their linked hands between them. They walk in silence until they reach the patio, a beautifully paved area with a hammock and a few dimly-lit light posts. Once they're standing in the middle of it, Kurt turns to Blaine and pulls him in close, smiling. "So, a private plane, a private island, _and _a private beach house? I didn't know I was in love with a rich man."

Blaine laughs, heart fluttering happily. "Well, I _have_ had a few centuries to build a small fortune. But the plane isn't technically mine."

Kurt rolls his eyes fondly, kissing Blaine's nose. "Never mind the plane," he says with a light laugh. "I love you so much. This is all so amazing and sweet and verging on romantic. I love it."

Neither of them has forgotten the real reason they were there, but it's easier to pretend for a night than to accept the reality.

Blaine smiles softly at Kurt, pulling him down for a kiss that quickly becomes more heated. They make their way to the bedroom, pulling at clothes and trying to be as close as possible. Once Blaine has Kurt's shirt off, he picks him up and drops him gently on the bed, hovering over him. Blaine leans in to continue kissing Kurt but Kurt stops him, breathing heavily. Blaine pauses, cupping the side of Kurt's face tenderly. "What's the matter, my love?" he asks worriedly.

"I… I've never… This is my first time," he admits shyly.

Blaine just smiles sweetly and kisses him lightly, leaning their foreheads together. "Me too," he says. He kisses gently across Kurt's jaw before whispering in his ear, "You don't have to be nervous around me, darling."

Kurt shivers and pulls Blaine back to kiss him fully. Then he starts unbuttoning Blaine's shirt, his nerves all but gone. Blaine makes him feel so incredibly _loved _and _cared for _that he can't possibly be worried.

"I love you, Blaine," he murmurs against Blaine's lips.

Blaine presses one lasting, breathtaking kiss to Kurt's lips before pulling back with a smile that lights up his eyes. "I love you, too." He starts trailing his hands down Kurt's chest, staring into his eyes. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready," Kurt confirms, smiling. He's never been more certain of something in his life.

* * *

The next morning, Kurt wakes up feeling warm and happy. Once he registers Blaine's chest beneath his cheek and Blaine's soft breaths tickling his face, he realizes why and he grins. Sighing happily, he fits his whole body to Blaine's side, wrapping his arm tightly around Blaine's waist. He kisses Blaine's chest and nuzzles into his warm, surprisingly soft skin. Before, Blaine always felt so _solid _to him, but now that they are both as solid as marble, Blaine feels soft and comfortable and _human_. He decides that this is one of his favorite things about being a vampire; he and Blaine are the same.

Another one of his favorite things was demonstrated the night before. Because they are both virtually indestructible, they didn't have to worry about hurting each other.

Blaine shifts beneath him, whining softly. Kurt is alert in an instant, suspecting a nightmare, and he sits up slightly to look at Blaine. "Blaine, sweetheart?" Blaine wakes up with a gasp, searching the room with wide eyes until he finds Kurt. Once he does, he wraps his arms around Kurt and clings to him. Kurt feels Blaine relaxing against him almost instantaneously. "Nightmare?" Blaine nods. "About your parents?" Blaine shakes his head, no. Kurt frowns. "Then what was it about?"

"You," Blaine says quietly. "I keep dreaming about that night at the beach, when Alec turned you. Except, in my dreams, he doesn't just bite you. He just keeps drinking your blood until you're gone and I can't do anything to stop him. It… It was bad enough that he got the chance to bite you, but it's so much worse watching him kill you completely…" Blaine doesn't cry like he usually does when it comes to his nightmares. Instead he just shivers at the mental image, clinging to Kurt more tightly. "But you're here… You're safe." He pauses, pulling back to look at Kurt. He smiles. "The nightmares are scary, but I'm fine once I wake up and see that you're still here."

Kurt smiles in relief, leaning up to kiss Blaine's lips lightly. "I'm glad I can help. I just wish I knew how to take your nightmares away completely."

Blaine kisses Kurt, leaning their foreheads together. "I don't think that's going to happen. I've always had nightmares and I probably always will. What matters is that I don't have to deal with them alone now. I mean, Elliott tried to help, but he's never been very good at comforting me. But you're here and you _get _me and that means the world to me."

Kurt wraps his arms around Blaine's neck, resting his head on Blaine's shoulder. "I'll always be here. Always."

Blaine smiles contentedly and holds Kurt in almost-silence, humming a familiar tune. Kurt grins when he recognizes it.

_"'__I'll Be There For You,' _from _Friends_?_" _he asks with a soft laugh. "You can really be a weirdo sometimes."

"But you love me," Blaine says matter-of-factly.

Kurt smiles and nuzzles Blaine's shoulder. "I really, really do."

* * *

After spending another few hours in bed—although neither of them would call it a _lazy _day—they get up for breakfast. "Did you bring packets of blood from the hospital or something?" Kurt asks, confused, when Blaine says it's time for breakfast.

Blaine shakes his head, smiling. "Nope, I didn't. Today, we find our own breakfast."

Kurt's eyes widen and he follows Blaine outside. "Wait, you mean you're going to teach me how to hunt?"

"Mmhmm," Blaine says as Kurt catches up to him and grabs his hand. Kurt follows Blaine until they're a good half-mile into the forest and then they stop. "This is a good place to start," he says thoughtfully, turning to Kurt. "Ready for your first lesson in controlling your instincts?"

Kurt looks around the forest, searching for any sign of movement. After a few moments, he rests his gaze on Blaine and nods. "I'm ready."

* * *

**A/N: I know it's been a while since I've updated this fic and I apologize. I've been trying to keep up with weekly updates but the past few weekends I've either been sick or too busy with homework. However, I should be able to keep a more regular schedule after this week because SCHOOL'S OUT! (Well, not necessarily regular, but the updates should be more frequent at least.)**

**Thanks for your patience, guys :) You're the best. **

**Until next time!**

**Review please :D**


	10. Thrills

Chapter 10: Thrills

* * *

"I got one!" Kurt exclaims, latching onto a deer. But the creature kicks him hard in the stomach and he grunts, falling back in surprise. Blaine is at his side in an instant, helping him to his feet although he doesn't need the help. He isn't hurt, just taken off guard. "I… guess I don't," he says sheepishly, but Blaine just smiles patiently at him.

"It's all right," he promises. "That's only your—"

"My tenth try," Kurt finishes in a deadpan. "I'm never going to get it." He sighs and jumps into the branches of a nearby tree, scaling the trunk quickly before sitting on a branch near the top. Blaine appears on a branch a few levels down and to his right, just seconds later, and Kurt looks away. He knows that Blaine isn't judging him. He's been so, so patient. But he can't help but feel embarrassed.

"Kurt, you'll get there eventually," Blaine says. Kurt appreciates that Blaine at least knows to give him his space. He stays where he is, trying to comfort Kurt but not pushing him too far. "Just one more time? I promise we can take a break if you try one more time."

Kurt considers it, though he still doesn't acknowledge Blaine for a while. Eventually he glances down at his boyfriend, biting his lip gently. "Just one more time," he agrees. "Then you're catching our breakfast _and _lunch for today."

Blaine laughs a little, smiling up at Kurt. "Deal." Blaine hops from his perch on the branch and lands on his feet on the earth below. Kurt drops down from his branch next, but he doesn't reach the ground. Blaine leaps up and catches him before kicking off the trunk of the tree and doing a back flip, landing on the ground with Kurt safe in his arms. Kurt stares at him in surprise and a bit of awe. His cheeks would be flushed if he had blood to fill them with color.

"Hi," Kurt whispers before breaking out into a grin.

Blaine can't help but respond with a bright smile. "Hello, beautiful."

Kurt kisses Blaine's nose and hops gracefully out of his arms. "One more time," he says and Blaine nods encouragingly. Kurt spins around and jumps, catching the lowest tree branch and using it to swing to another tree, hiding and waiting for his next target. He hears something to his left and his ears perk up as he turns his head. He sees a baby deer and grins; he hasn't been able to catch a fully grown doe yet but maybe he can catch a fawn more easily.

He waits until the fawn prances over and, when it's directly beneath his perch, he pounces. He latches onto the fawn around its middle and crushes its ribs with his newfound strength before it can get away. His instincts take over, then, and he bites down on the creature's neck, drinking greedily. He drinks until there's nothing left and whips his head around when he feels something touch his shoulder. He sees Blaine and he grins, jumping up and grabbing Blaine's hands. He almost kisses him but remembers the mess on his face with dismay. He'll work on his technique later.

He notices that Blaine is frowning slightly and his smile drops. "What's the matter? Did I do something wrong? I caught it. I finally caught it, Blaine!" he says excitedly, hoping to take that frown off of Blaine's face.

"You did," Blaine agrees. "You did catch it. And you did very well. But I underestimated how much your instincts would take over. I thought, without the temptation of human blood to distract you, you'd have more control while hunting and when you're feeding. We're going to have to work on that."

"Okay," Kurt nods, disappointed. "But I did well, right? For my first time hunting, I mean?"

Finally, Blaine smiles, softly. "Of course. I'm proud of you, darling. Why don't you go clean up while I catch myself some breakfast?"

"Okay!" Kurt bounces excitedly and hugs Blaine, resisting the instinctual urge to peck Blaine's lips because he knows he made a mess while feeding. He feels gross but when he licks his lips and tastes his breakfast, he hums in satisfaction.

Kurt finds the bathroom and assesses the damage, wincing. Half of his face is covered in the blood of the deer; from below his nose down to his chin, along with some splattered drops on his cheeks. He turns the faucet on and rinses his face off, scrubbing the sticky liquid from his skin. Then he changes into some new clothes and runs into the forest to find Blaine again.

He gasps a little when he sees Blaine pounce, seemingly out of nowhere, and incapacitate a fully grown buck in a matter of seconds. He looks so graceful despite the fact that he's killing an animal twice his size. And Kurt huffs a little when he sees Blaine drinking its blood without spilling a single drop anywhere besides down his throat. He almost feels embarrassed by the mess he made.

"Blaine?" Kurt walks closer when Blaine stands up and wipes the corner of his lips. The dark-haired boy turns around and stares at Kurt with wide eyes.

"Kurt!" he yelps. "I-I… I didn't want you to have to see that. To see _me _like that…" he trails off, looking down abashedly.

Kurt races forward gracefully and takes Blaine's face in his hands, smiling softly. "It's okay. You're wonderful. You're beautiful. I'm not going to think any less of you just because I see you hunting. Besides, I'd be a bit of a hypocrite if I did, don't you think?" he teases, earning a soft laugh from Blaine.

"Yeah, I guess." He leans in and kisses Kurt, gasping when Kurt presses him against the nearest tree trunk and tilts his head to deepen the kiss. Blaine rests his hands on Kurt's hips, sliding his fingers to the small of Kurt's back and then returning them to their original spot. Kurt presses closer and coaxes Blaine's lips apart before licking along Blaine's bottom lip. He moans at the taste of blood still fresh on Blaine's lips, slipping one hand under Blaine's navy blue t-shirt.

Suddenly it's like he's sixteen again and he can hear his dad's voice: _Once you start doing it, you're not going to want to stop. _He never understood it before, but now he knows what it means. He can't get enough of Blaine and, if Blaine's pleading little whimpers are anything to go by, the feeling is mutual.

Kurt trails warm kisses across Blaine's jaw and down to his throat, smirking a little at the moan it elicits. "Kurt," Blaine gasps. "What—_oh_—what do you think we should—_Kurt_—do tonight?" Kurt lifts his head to look at Blaine, pressing impossibly closer and making Blaine's brain short-circuit. "I-I mean—_oh wow_—besides t-this. N-Not that this isn't—_oh my gosh Kurt you're killing me_—awesome, but I think… t-the island is so… beautiful. We… we should explore—explore the island. Or… something…"

Kurt smirks a little, leaning in so his lips are almost touching Blaine's, and murmurs, "That sounds lovely. Now, where were we?"

Blaine lets out a breathless laugh and kisses Kurt, grabbing his face and perhaps getting a _little bit _of revenge.

* * *

They somehow ended up in the bed—Kurt's not sure when but he thinks Blaine might've carried him—and now they're picking up where they left off. The best thing about Kurt being a vampire, Blaine thinks, is that they never get tired—it might be the only good thing, though, because Blaine still insists that Kurt would be happier if he were still a human. Kurt disagrees.

After spending hours learning each and every curve and crevice of each other's bodies, they decide to cuddle. Kurt molds himself to Blaine's back and tangles their legs together, wrapping an arm around Blaine's waist. "I love you," he whispers.

Blaine grins. "I love you, too."

"It's getting dark," Kurt observes, glancing out the window and pressing a warm, lingering kiss to Blaine's throat. Blaine hums and turns his head so he can kiss Kurt's lips, a soft peck. Kurt smiles and brushes the tips of his fingers across Blaine's hip. "What were you saying about exploring the island?"

Blaine rolls over in Kurt's embrace, smiling at him. "Well, we should get dressed first, but I was thinking we could go for a run. It's been a very long time since I've been someplace where I can just run as fast as I want for as long as I want, and I think you'd enjoy the freedom of it. It's a good way to clear your mind and it's quite exhilarating."

"That sounds amazing," Kurt says, trailing his hand up Blaine's back and bringing it around to maneuver his fingers into Blaine's curls. "I've always thought you looked particularly beautiful under the moonlight."

"Well, I am a _creature of the night_," Blaine teases, and Kurt rolls his eyes at the ridiculous line from a stereotyping mythology book. He smacks Blaine's shoulder lightly and Blaine just laughs, kissing him before getting up. Then, in a blur, he's at the closet, picking out clothes for both of them. Kurt watches him, admiring the view, smirking a little when Blaine catches him staring.

When Blaine lays the clothes out on their mattress, Kurt asks, "Why do you… run? I mean, like you did just now. It was only, like, ten feet away, but you did. Why do you do that when you don't need to?"

Blaine looks at him and shrugs as he pulls his pants on. "I just figure that life is too… full, you know? And I don't want a moment to go buy where I'm missing something because I took too long to do something else. I know it seems strange because I've been given immortality and life isn't exactly _too short. _But I don't like missing things." He pauses, his forehead creasing between his eyebrows, thoughtful. "I suppose there's also a certain thrill that I get every time I move faster than should be possible. I feel a refreshing burst of wind and my skin feels like it's tingling. I like it," he says, smiling to himself.

Kurt smiles and grabs his own shirt to slip over his head. "That makes sense. I think you're right; I am going to like running with you."

Once they're both dressed, they leave the house and dash into the forest. Kurt pushes to see just how fast he can really run, and he laughs delightedly as he glides gracefully over the terrain, barefoot and happy.

"Having fun?" Blaine asks, suddenly right next to him in a blur of light. Kurt grins and jumps up, catching the branch of a tree and propelling himself forward to grab a branch of the next tree.

"This is amazing!" he shouts into the trees as he flies over another branch and lands on the ground next to Blaine, hardly breaking his stride. He grins widely at Blaine and says, determined, "I'll race you to the beach!"

"You're on," Blaine says with a laugh as Kurt picks up speed and weaves through trees with a shout of pure, unadulterated joy.

"Blaine!" Kurt laughs. "Hurry up, you slow poke!" Blaine grins and dashes to catch up, grabbing hold of Kurt's hand and leaping up into the tallest branches of the trees. Kurt gasps as he's, just a few seconds later, being pulled against Blaine's chest so he won't fall. He stares at Blaine, eyes wide and awe-filled. "Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

Blaine smirks and kisses his cheek. "I am. But it shouldn't be a surprise when I get to the beach before you!" Before Kurt can react, Blaine jumps out of reach and continues to leap from treetop to treetop. Kurt huffs and his lips curl into a grin as he follows Blaine's lead.

The both leap elegantly from branch to branch at remarkable speeds, but they end up landing on the island shore at the exact same time, just a few feet away from each other. They look up at each other in surprise and then burst out laughing. Kurt runs in a blur, covering the small distance between them, and says, "You're right. I don't want to miss anything. Especially you."

Blaine goes in for a kiss but Kurt stops him, suddenly remembering something. "Blaine? What did you tell my dad? I've been so busy thinking about hunting and Alec and controlling my instincts the past few days that I forgot that he doesn't know. Where does he think I am? Does he know I'm with you?"

Blaine bites his lip. "He thinks you're going on a cruise with some old friends from college. Elliott told him and he had to say that you couldn't talk to him before you left because you had to leave right away. But he wanted the number of someone who'd be with you, just in case, so Elliott gave him my number—Which is good, actually, because I think Alec still had your phone. So, he knows you'll be back in a few weeks and he knows you won't have the best phone reception until we're almost at the dock, which is actually just Montauk because this island doesn't have reception."

Kurt nods, hugging Blaine around the shoulders. "So, he's safe, right? Alec's friend isn't going to come after him, is he?"

Blaine brought his hand up to stroke Kurt's cheek lightly. "Your dad is fine. And Justin doesn't like conflict, remember? Elliott and Bailey are watching your dad's house just in case, but I doubt anything will happen. It's just a precaution."

Kurt nods again, sitting down on the cool sand tugging Blaine down with him. They lie down together on the white beach, smooth and soft beneath them, and cuddle in silence. Eventually, they fall asleep, content to sleep under the stars so long as they're together.

That night, neither of them have nightmares.

* * *

**A/N: Yay, I finally updated this story! It's been a while, I know. I promise I haven't given it up. Same goes for my story, ****_Stay Alive. _****It's not abandoned. I just haven't had the inspiration for it yet. (I'm still trying to figure out what Kurt is going to do to help Sophia.) **

**Until next time! (I have no idea when that'll be, just FYI)**

**Review please :) **


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